“Hamid Nouri held in confinement more than 1000 days,” says son

August 17, 2022 - 21:56

TEHRAN- Hamid Nouri, a former official of Iran detained in Sweden on false charges, has been held in solitary confinement for over three years, his son Majid Nouri said on Tuesday.

The son also indicated that his family had recently been kept in the dark about his circumstances.

"My father has not been able to contact his family… and he has been held in solitary confinement for 1,000 days," Majid Nouri told reporters.

In November 2019, Hamid Nouri was detained upon arrival at Stockholm Airport. The former official of the judiciary was given a life sentence by a Swedish court in July. Iran has demanded Nouri's release and rejected the Swedish court's ruling as unconstitutional.

Nouri mentioned at a press conference held on Tuesday by the Judiciary spokesperson that the Swedish police just needed to express remorse for the abuse of his father.

Nouri's son said that his father hadn't yet received the text of the judgment in Persian.  "He hasn't read the verdict, the choice of his new attorney hasn't yet been made, and there are only around 40 days left for the appeal," the son stated.

Iranian Judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi said on Tuesday that Hamid Nouri is being held in the worst circumstances possible.

He is denied access to even basic rights like communication with his family, the spokesman said.

Setayeshi emphasized the need for the Swedish court to hear from the witnesses and from Hamid Nouri himself.

The accusations against Nouri arise from claims made against him by terrorist organization members from the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO). The accusations have been vigorously denied by Nouri.

Tehran has harshly criticized the Swedish court's decision to sentence Nouri to life in jail, stating that the court is ill-equipped to handle the situation.

Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said in mid-July that the court's statement is essentially twisted and undesirable, and that the court lacks legal jurisdiction to deal with the matter.

The spokesperson stated that Iran holds Sweden liable for the harm done to bilateral ties between the two nations by unsubstantiated remarks and verdict.

He asserted that the Swedish court system actively supports and promotes terrorism in contrast to Iran's government, which opposes permitting a terrorist organization to operate freely.

Kanaani lamented that Sweden had used its legal system to advance the evil intentions of the MKO terrorist organization.