Swedish-Iranian doctor transferred for execution in Tehran : reports

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — A Swedish-Iranian doctor imprisoned in Tehran has been transferred to another prison to await his imminent execution, his wife has told a human rights organisation. 

Ahmedreza Djalali, an expert in emergency medicine, was arrested during a visit to Iran from Sweden in October 2016 and sentenced to death the next year for allegedly spying for Israel, an accusation often made against political prisoners. 

Djalali said he was tortured to extract a false confession, and  was being “punished” for refusing to spy for the Islamic Republic in Europe.

Rezajalil's wife informed Human Rights Iran on Tuesday that her husband would be transferred to Rajaei-Shahr prison in Karaj at 5pm local time, following his move to solitary confinement last week. 

He was granted Swedish citizenship while in prison in 2018.

"Ahmedreza Djalili is in serious danger of being executed, and only a strong and immediate response from the international community can save his life," said the organisation’s director Amiri Moghaddan. 

Amnesty International has previously called for Iranian authorities to “immediately halt” the execution. 

 “It is appalling that despite repeated calls from UN human rights experts to quash Ahmadreza Djalali’s death sentence and release him, the Iranian authorities have instead decided to push for this irreversible injustice," Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty's International Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa said in a statement last week.

"They must immediately halt any plans to execute Ahmadreza Djalali and end their shocking assault on his right to life.”

Swedish government and diplomatic officials have spoken with Tehran to voice their opposition to the killing. 

"Sweden denounces the death penalty and is working to not have the sentence against Djalali carried out," Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde tweeted last week.

Iran’s foreign ministry then warned Stockholm not to intervene, saying any interference is “unacceptable.”

"Unfortunately, the information the Swedish authorities have regarding the situation of Mr Djalali, who is in prison on security charges, is incomplete and false,” said foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh.  

Djalili is one of several dual and foreign nationals detained in Iran on espionage charges. British-Australian academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert was freed last week after two years in prison on charges of spying for Israel, claims which she vehemently denied. 

Moore-Gilbert has since spoken of her relief following the end of a “never-ending, unrelenting nightmare."