Vida Mehrannia: Ahmad Reza Jalali’s Health Condition is Not Favorable and the Swedish Government is Not Following Up on Dual Nationals’ Situation

The wife of Ahmad Reza Jalali told Voice of America that this imprisoned dual Iranian-Swedish physician underwent surgery at a hospital outside prison due to intestinal adhesion complications, and his physical condition is not favorable.

Vida Mehrannia, the wife of Ahmad Reza Jalali, said in an interview with the Persian section of Voice of America that Mr. Jalali was transferred on Saturday, February 2 (Bahman 2) to a hospital outside Evin Prison due to acute intestinal adhesion and underwent surgery. According to Ms. Mehrannia, her husband, despite needing medical leave, was transferred back to prison on Sunday, February 3 (Bahman 3), just one day after the surgery.

Ms. Mehrannia, noting that this is the second time in the past three years that Mr. Jalali has undergone this surgery, added: “His physical condition is not good considering that he has had surgery performed. He has not been allowed phone calls since last year, and this information has been given to us through his relatives, and we are concerned about his psychological and physical condition.”

She further told Voice of America: “Ahmad Reza’s condition is not favorable. He has been living in poor psychological and physical conditions for several years, has lost significant weight, and we hope that European governments will do something for Ahmad Reza and all imprisoned dual nationals and make all efforts for the release of these prisoners.”

Ms. Mehrannia also said regarding the latest status of Mr. Jalali’s case that the authorities have made no effort for retrial and European officials and the European Parliament, despite their promises to follow up, have made no follow-up through international and political relations.

She further told Voice of America: “It is clear that if European governments do not take action to free political and dual national prisoners, Iran will certainly not release them.”

Ahmad Reza Jalali’s wife, referring to a collective hunger strike by former prisoners and political and human rights activists in Vienna, said: “I hope these strikes will be effective, and they will definitely be effective because the governments of European countries and America should know that they cannot overlook the situation of dual national prisoners and only pursue political and economic relations with Iran.”

Ms. Mehrannia concluded her interview with Voice of America by expressing hope that all dual national prisoners in Iran will be released from prison and return to their families.

Ahmad Reza Jalali was arrested in 2016 when he traveled from Sweden to Iran to visit his family. He was then sentenced to death by the Islamic Revolutionary Court on charges of what was described as “transferring confidential information to Mossad” at the height of Iran’s nuclear program activities. Iran’s Supreme Court rejected the request for review of this verdict in less than an hour.

Last March, UN human rights experts issued a statement calling on Iranian authorities to immediately release Ahmad Reza Jalali as an Iranian-Swedish academic who was arbitrarily detained.