Wife of Ahmadrezaa Jalali, Dual-Citizen Physician Imprisoned in Iran: I Have No Hope Left
Following reports about the imminent execution of Ahmadrezaa Jalali, an Iranian-Swedish physician imprisoned in Iran, the doctor’s wife expressed concern to Voice of America about the danger to her husband’s life.
Vida Mehrannia, the wife of Ahmadrezaa Jalali, said in an interview with Voice of America, referring to the dangerous situation of this imprisoned physician and researcher in Iran: “The Supreme Court issued an execution order, and we don’t know on what basis or grounds this order was issued. But currently, I feel that Ahmadrezaa’s life is in danger.”
Mrs. Mehrannia told Voice of America that in their latest contact, Mr. Jalali informed her that on Tuesday, November 25, after being transferred to the Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office, he was informed that he would be transferred to Ward 209 of Evin Prison, and in the coming days he would be taken to Rajaee Shahr Prison in Karaj for execution of the sentence.
The wife of this imprisoned physician and researcher said that Hale Mousavian, Mr. Jalali’s lawyer, also discovered after learning about the transfer of her client to Ward 209 of Evin Prison by going to the Revolutionary Prosecutor’s Office that the execution order has been confirmed; an execution order that, according to Vida Mehrannia, a request for retrial has remained unanswered for a year, from 2019 until now.
Ahmadrezaa Jalali’s wife told Voice of America that Mr. Jalali was told: “The government of Sweden and European governments have not pursued your case. We gave enough time for the governments to resolve your problem; but until now your problem has not been solved.” Mrs. Mehrannia, in response to these remarks, said: “We don’t exactly know what the Iranian authorities meant and what goal they have in mind. Unfortunately, Ahmadrezaa has become a victim of Iran-Europe relations.”
Vida Mehrannia, referring to yesterday’s contact between Sweden’s Foreign Minister with his Iranian counterpart and the request to revoke Mr. Jalali’s execution order, told Voice of America: “Iranian authorities either want a swap to take place or want this issue resolved through diplomatic relations. Prisoner exchange is one of the things Iran has done with America in recent years and may want to do in Europe as well. I hope European officials, in whatever way possible, whether through prisoner exchange or anything else, save Ahmadrezaa’s life.”
Meanwhile, 149 Nobel Prize winners from around the world on Tuesday, November 25, by signing a letter to Ayatollah Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, asked Ahmadrezaa Jalali to be released so he could return to his home and life. It should be noted that this is not the first time Nobel Prize winners have sent a letter to the leader of the Islamic Republic requesting his intervention in Mr. Jalali’s case and the release of this imprisoned physician.
Mrs. Mehrannia told Voice of America: “I have no hope left and I don’t know what will happen. … Ahmadrezaa was known as a model researcher in Iran for several years and it is not right for Iranian authorities, for any reason, to make Ahmadrezaa a victim. There is no legally acceptable reason against Ahmadrezaa, and we call on the Islamic Republic to revoke Ahmadrezaa’s sentence and release him.”
Ahmadrezaa Jalali was arrested in 2016 when he traveled from Sweden to Iran to see his family. He was subsequently convicted of treason by Iran’s Revolutionary Court on charges of transferring classified information to Mossad at the height of Iran’s nuclear program activities, and sentenced to death. The Supreme Court rejected a request for review of this ruling in less than an hour.
Previously, the wife of this imprisoned physician, following being uninformed about the status of Ahmadrezaa Jalali’s case, told Voice of America that almost all judicial authorities and even security officials are completely certain of his innocence and the incorrectness of the issued execution order, but no one is willing to acknowledge this mistake and compensate for the injustice.
In recent years, the Iranian regime has intensified the detention of foreign and dual-citizen nationals. The U.S. State Department has repeatedly condemned the baseless and arbitrary detention of American citizens and citizens of other countries, including dual-national Iranians, by the Islamic Republic regime and has called for their immediate and unconditional release.
