Sweden sentences former Iranian official for prison executions News | DW
A Swedish court on Thursday sentenced a former Iranian official to life in prison for participating in the mass murders of imprisoned dissidents in 1988.
Hamid Nouri was convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity for his role in the killing of at least 5,000 prisoners across Iran, allegedly ordered by Ayatollah Khomeini.
Thursday’s ruling followed court proceedings that have been ongoing since August 2021.
The first trial of Iranians for cleansing a prison
Nouri was arrested at an airport in Stockholm in 2019 after Iranian dissidents in Sweden submitted a police report against him.
The trial marked the first time an Iranian prison official was brought to justice for the 1988 purge of prisoners.
The executions were revenge for attacks carried out by an exiled dissident group of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) towards the end of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War.
Nouri claimed that he was on leave during the period when the murders took place and said that he worked in another prison.
“I hope these hands will be cleared … with God’s help,” Nouri told the court on the last day of the May 4 hearing.
Several witnesses testified that they recognized Nouri as present during the executions.
Strained Swedish-Iranian relations
The trial has worsened ties between Sweden and Iran and has led to concerns about reprisals against Western prisoners held by the Islamic Republic.
Iran has not yet acknowledged the killings and called Nouri’s trial “illegal”.
“Sweden should provide the reasons for the release of Nouri as soon as possible,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Wednesday.
Swedish law allows courts to convict Swedish citizens and other citizens for violations of international law committed abroad.
dvv / sms (AFP, Reuters)