After 600 days of detention, Iran has begun the trial of a Swedish diplomat working for the European Union, accusing him of “conspiring with Israel to harm the Islamic Republic,” according to Tehran’s judiciary, announced on Sunday.
Iran’s judiciary-linked agency, “Mizan,” reported that Johan Floderus is accused of taking extensive measures against the country’s security, engaging in wide-ranging intelligence cooperation with the Zionist regime, and corruption on the earth, as reported by the French Press Agency.
“Corruption on the earth” is one of the most serious crimes in Iran, carrying a maximum penalty of execution.
Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström stated, “I have been informed that Johan Floderus’ trial began on Saturday in Tehran.”
The Swedish national, Johan Floderus (33), who works in the diplomatic corps of the European Union, has been detained at Tehran’s notorious Evin prison since his arrest on April 17, 2022, upon his return from vacation with friends.
Billström said that Floderus is “arbitrarily detained,” adding, “There is absolutely no basis to keep Johan Floderus in detention, let alone to put him on trial.”
He continued, “Sweden and the European Union have made this clear to Iranian representatives.”
Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, responded on Sunday, saying that Floaderus is “innocent” and “there is absolutely no reason to keep him detained,” calling for his release once again.
The diplomat is accused of being “active against the Islamic Republic in the field of intelligence gathering for the benefit of the Zionist regime in projects aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic (led by) well-known American, Israeli, and European entities active against Iran,” according to the French Press Agency, citing the deputy prosecutor.
Among his other activities, Floaderus is alleged to have “traveled to occupied Palestine and communicated with agents” in Israel and “gathered intelligence about the programs of the Islamic Republic, which have no relevance to the accused’s professional field.”
Floaderus’s detention had remained hidden until September, when his family broke the silence, urging the Swedish government and the European Union to act for his release. The European Union quietly sought his release.
In September, the Iranian judiciary announced that Floaderus had “committed crimes” in the country, and investigations into his case were nearing completion.
At that time, a European Union official told the French Press Agency that they had not received a “clear answer” regarding the reason for Floaderus’s arrest.
Floderus’s family stated that the conditions of his detention were “unacceptable,” with his cell remaining lit at all times, inadequate food, and no medical examinations or outdoor exercise.
After 600 days of his detention, Human Rights Watch called for the immediate and unconditional release of Floderus and all arbitrarily detained foreign nationals.
In a statement, they said, “Sweden must press the European Union to work with its allies and exert more pressure to secure their release and respect human rights in Iran. The international community should demand that Iran end arbitrary detentions and comply with its obligations under international human rights law.”
Iran has often used detained foreign nationals as bargaining chips to secure the release of its citizens or unfreeze assets abroad.
Floaderus’s arrest followed the conviction of an Iranian national in Sweden to life imprisonment for his role in mass executions carried out by the Iranian regime in 1988 against thousands of dissidents.
The European Union’s relations with Iran have been strained due to Russia’s supply of arms and the suppression of protests following the death of Iranian teenager Mahsa Amini. The European Union, consisting of 27 countries, imposed consecutive sanctions on Iran over arms supplies and the suppression of protesters.
Floaderus’s trial coincided with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian activist Nasrin Mohammadi, who is imprisoned in her homeland. Her two children received the prize on her behalf in Oslo on Sunday.
The Sakharov Prize, awarded by the European Parliament to Mahsa Amini after her death, is set to be presented in Strasbourg on Tuesday. Amini’s death in September 2022 sparked widespread protests in the country.
