Mr Djalali, 51, a Swedish-Iranian citizen, was arrested in 2016 and convicted of sending confidential details to Israeli intelligence
Mr Djalali, 51, a Swedish-Iranian citizen, was arrested in 2016 and convicted of sending confidential details to Israeli intelligence
Mr Djalali, 51, a Swedish-Iranian citizen, was arrested in 2016 and convicted of sending confidential details to Israeli intelligence
Mr Djalali, 51, a Swedish-Iranian citizen, was arrested in 2016 and convicted of sending confidential details to Israeli intelligence

Wife of Swedish citizen threatened with Iran execution appeals to EU


Neil Murphy
  • English
  • Arabic

The wife of Iranian-Swedish citizen Ahmadreza Djalali accused of espionage and threatened with execution in Iran, on Saturday called on the European Union to secure her husband's release.

"I hope that the the EU can really act decisively in order to bring Ahmadreza home," Vida Mehrannia said according to excerpts of an interview on Germany's ZDF channel.

The EU must "not allow an innocent man to be killed in such an inhuman way", she added.

Djalali was sentenced to death in 2017 on the espionage charges, allegations denied by Sweden and his supporters.

Iranian media had said he could be hanged on Saturday, a sentence that Iranian officials have said they want to carry out. According to his wife, the execution did not take place.

She said Iran's justice minister was considering a postponement of the sentence.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Tuesday called for Tehran to suspend the execution, and requested the revocation of his sentence.

Djalali, who was based in Stockholm where he worked for the Karolinska Medical Institute, was arrested during a visit to Iran in 2016.

In February 2018, while he was still in custody, Sweden granted the academic Swedish citizenship.

The Pope's itinerary

Sunday, February 3, 2019 - Rome to Abu Dhabi
1pm: departure by plane from Rome / Fiumicino to Abu Dhabi
10pm: arrival at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport


Monday, February 4
12pm: welcome ceremony at the main entrance of the Presidential Palace
12.20pm: visit Abu Dhabi Crown Prince at Presidential Palace
5pm: private meeting with Muslim Council of Elders at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
6.10pm: Inter-religious in the Founder's Memorial


Tuesday, February 5 - Abu Dhabi to Rome
9.15am: private visit to undisclosed cathedral
10.30am: public mass at Zayed Sports City – with a homily by Pope Francis
12.40pm: farewell at Abu Dhabi Presidential Airport
1pm: departure by plane to Rome
5pm: arrival at the Rome / Ciampino International Airport

Updated: May 21, 2022, 11:14 PM