Fifteen diaspora Iranian political and human rights organizations have criticized Sweden's release of former Iranian official Hamid Nouri, convicted of war crimes, in a prisoner exchange with Tehran.
In a letter to Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Kristerson, they warned that such agreements encourage the Islamic Republic to hold foreign citizens and dual nationals hostage.
Signatories include the Pro-Republic Iranian Society in Sweden, the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in Iran-Austria, the Republican Iranians of Australia, and the Khavaran Justice Seekers, which represents families of thousands of prisoners killed in Iran in 1988.
The letter, published on Friday, emphasized that releasing Nouri has “severely damaged the Swedish government's reputation.”
Earlier this month, Sweden repatriated Nouri and secured the release of two Swedish citizens, Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi, who had been detained in Iran on allegations of "spying for Israel." However, the deal did not include Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-Iranian currently on death row, who has been on a hunger strike since June 26 to protest being excluded from the exchange.
Sweden’s Prime Minister expressed regret that Iran was unwilling to negotiate for Djalali’s release, acknowledging the dire situation of the hunger-striking prisoner. He also cautioned citizens against travel to Iran.
Amnesty International condemned Nouri's release, calling it a “stunning blow to survivors and relatives of victims” of the 1988 prison massacre in Iran.
Nouri had been sentenced to life imprisonment by a Swedish court in 2022 for crimes against humanity related to his involvement in the mass executions of prisoners in the 1988.
His arrest in Sweden was based on the principle of universal justice, and his trial and conviction were hailed as significant steps for international justice. However, his release has faced widespread condemnation.
