Human Rights Activists Write Letter to German Foreign Minister to Save Jamshid Sharmahd’s Life
Dozens of journalists and human rights activists have written a letter to Germany’s Foreign Minister urging her to use all diplomatic channels to prevent the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, an Iranian-German prisoner facing the threat of capital punishment.
Family members and dozens of journalists and human rights activists have written an open letter to Annalena Baerbock, Germany’s Foreign Minister, calling on her to use all diplomatic means to pressure the Islamic Republic and save the life of Jamshid Sharmahd, a dual Iranian-German citizen and prisoner.
The letter expresses concern about the health of this prisoner in Iran and states that “the danger of execution threatens this political prisoner, and Germany must act quickly to prevent his hanging.”
Jamshid Sharmahd, 66, was abducted by the Islamic Republic’s security forces in Dubai in August 2020 and transferred to Iran. The Islamic Republic’s Ministry of Intelligence announced at the time, in a statement, that it had arrested the leader of the “Tondar” group “in a complex operation.”
Before immigrating to the United States and settling in California, Jamshid Sharmahd lived in Germany. He founded an engineering company in Germany in 1997, moved to America in 2003, and launched the “Tondar” website and later the Tondar radio station in 2007 as a media outlet for the “Iran Monarchy Association.”
Jamshid Sharmahd faces the charge of “spreading corruption on earth,” which carries a death sentence under Islamic Republic law.
The Islamic Republic’s judiciary accuses Sharmahd of involvement in an attack on a mosque in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz in 2008 that killed 14 people. His family denies these charges, and after the first court session, they described all accusations against him as fabricated propaganda displays.
Ghazel Sharmahd, the daughter of this prisoner, along with dozens of human rights activists and journalists, addressed a message to Annalena Baerbock saying: “It is extremely important that the German federal government immediately act to prevent the planned state-sponsored assassination of Mr. Sharmahd.”
Further in the letter to Germany’s Foreign Minister, it states: “We urge you to take immediate, serious, and sustained action to save the life of this 66-year-old German citizen and his family from this horrific act. We call for this matter to be prioritized and a crisis management team to be established.”
This letter, in addition to members of Sharmahd’s family, has been signed by various human rights activists including Martin Lessenthin, spokesperson for the International Human Rights Association; Ulrike Becker, an official of the Middle East Freedom Association Berlin; Masih Alinejad, journalist; Shiva Mahboubi, spokesperson for the Iran Political Prisoners Freedom Campaign; Jamshid Barzegar, journalist; and Nazanin Boniadi, actress and human rights defender.
According to Ghazaleh Sharmahd, only one month remains to save her father’s life.
The Sharmahd family said they are “deeply concerned” about the condition of this prisoner. The letter also mentions that the judge presiding over Sharmahd’s trial is Judge Abolqasim Salavati, the same judge who sentenced Rouhollah Zam to execution.
Rouhollah Zam was abducted by Islamic Revolutionary Guard intelligence officers in Iraq in September 2019 and transferred to Tehran. His death sentence was carried out on December 13, 2020.
Source: DW
