Switzerland demanded on Friday that Iranian authorities provide more information on the death of a Swiss citizen in an Iranian prison a day earlier.
The Swiss Foreign Office (FDFA) said it had learned of the arrest of a 64-year-old man on December 10 on suspicion of espionage.
“Switzerland is demanding that the Iranian authorities provide detailed information on the reasons for his arrest and a thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death,” the FDFA said in a statement.
France protests against three ‘hostages’ in Iran
Also on Friday, France summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the years-long detention of three of its citizens, with the Foreign Ministry saying their conditions were tantamount to torture, and calling them “hostages of the State of the Islamic Republic of Iran.” ” said.
“Their conditions are intolerable, the undignified detention conditions amount to torture under international law for some people,” the ministry said.
Authorities in France have taken a tougher stance toward Tehran in recent weeks over the detention of European citizens and other issues such as Iran’s nuclear program.
Senior French, British and German diplomats are set to meet their Iranian counterparts in Geneva on Monday to discuss bilateral issues and the possible future of nuclear talks, which are likely to take place ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House on January 20. Will be the last meeting.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot highlighted the prisoners earlier in the week, saying their conditions were deteriorating.
What do we know about the alleged suicide?
The Swiss national was being held in a prison about 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of Tehran.
The FDFA said the man was traveling in Iran as a tourist at the time of his arrest. The ministry said he had not lived in Switzerland for almost 20 years. He was living in South Africa.
Judiciary news agency Mizan quoted the chief judge of Iran’s Semnan province as saying the man took his own life in prison on Thursday.
The FDFA said it is seeking the repatriation of his body and hopes that will happen in the next few days.
“Repatriating the body to Switzerland is also a top priority,” the FDFA said.
The ministry said the Swiss Embassy had tried to speak to the man after being informed of his arrest, but the request was rejected amid the ongoing Iranian investigation.
Other foreign nationals arrested in Iran
Switzerland Plays an important mediator role between the United States and Iran.
Several dual and foreign nationals have been arrested in Iran in recent years on spying charges, in what human rights groups say is an attempt by Tehran to extract concessions from their respective countries. Iran has denied such allegations.
Late last year, Iran announced the execution of Jamshid Sharmahed, a German-Iranian software developer who was convicted for his alleged role in the 2008 mosque bombing in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz that killed 14 people. Were.
Tehran later said that Sharmahad had died before he could be sentenced to death.
rmt/msh (AFP, Reuters)
