Iran Foreign Ministry condemns ‘unacceptable’ ruling against Hamid Nouri after ‘illegal’ trial

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kan’ani has vehemently rejected as “unacceptable” a Swedish court’s decision to hand ex-Iranian official Hamid Nouri a life sentence based on unfounded allegations made by the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group.   

Kan’ani strongly condemned the Swedish court’s “political statement” which has leveled “baseless and fabricated” allegations against the Islamic Republic of Iran, its judiciary system, and also its life sentence issued against Hamid Nouri. 

In a statement on Thursday, the Swedish court accused Nouri of participating in what they called killing jailed dissidents, also leveling allegations against Iran’s judiciary system.

His accusers allege Nouri was involved in the execution and torture of MKO members in 1988. Nouri has vehemently rejected the allegation.

Nouri was arrested upon arrival in Sweden at Stockholm Airport in November 2019 and was immediately imprisoned.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran basically rejects the provisions of the court’s statement, including the illegal verdict against Mr. Nouri, and considers them to be distorted and unacceptable,” stressed Kan’ani.  

“What can be read between the lines of today’s announcement of the ruling is that Sweden’s judiciary system is practically supporting and promoting terrorism instead of being accountable to the Iranian people for allowing a terrorist cult to be active in the country and for violating its international responsibility to indiscriminately fight terrorism.”

“It is crystal clear to the Islamic Republic of Iran that the case of Mr. Nouri has just been an excuse for a political measure and is devoid of any genuine proof and lacks any legal basis," he noted. 

• Swedish court sentences Iranian to life in jail over terrorist MKO charges

Referring to the atrocities of the MKO terrorists against the people of Iran and Iraq, the spokesman expressed deep regret that Sweden, despite having a good history of ties with Iran, has succumbed to the “malicious objectives” of MKO’s propaganda, making its judiciary system serve the “criminal goals” of the group, and practically engaged in “whitewashing terrorism.”

Kan'ani said the rabble-rousing by the MKO in Stockholm today combined with the anti-Iran media’s focus and pressures near the court where the verdict was issued show that they were bent on imposing their desired outcome of the case on the court.

“During his 30-month detention in solitary confinement, Mr. Nouri has been deprived of the most basic human rights,” he said, noting that the illegally detained Iranian citizen has been subjected to systematic mistreatment, including physical assault by the prison guards.

“Furthermore, due to imposed restrictions, including lack of access to a doctor, he had been unable to fully read the text of the indictment issued by the prosecutor. Therefore, the treatment and imposed restrictions against Mr. Nouri are a blatant example of violating human rights by those who claim to advocate such rights," he said.

Nouri has been illegally tried based on lies and suborned witnesses of the MKO under the heavy pressures and propaganda of the terrorist cult, the spokesman said, noting that the terror group had already announced the court’s ruling and had “insisted on imposing” the verdict through any possible means.

The spokesman also went on to point to the unfair trial held in Sweden, saying despite their claim of having independence, Swedish judiciary officials did not even allow Nouri to call his witnesses and defend his rights, "as the court in its 27^th session established a direct video link with the MKO base in Albania after coordination with Albanian prosecutor's office and provided the group with an extensive opportunity."

He added that the Swedish judiciary system only dedicated a few days for the defense during the trial, which compared to the time offered to the plaintiffs for issuing the lawsuit was "insignificant and unfair."

“While vehemently protesting the ruling of the court which lacks any legal jurisdiction and basis, Iran holds Sweden responsible for the damage caused to bilateral ties because of the trial," Kan'ani concluded. 

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