Iranian Held in Sweden: Rights Bodies Let Me Down
TEHRAN -- Iranian national Hamid Nouri, who is in solitary confinement in Sweden, has spoken about his ordeals in an audio file released on Friday.
Nouri has criticized human rights organizations for letting him down by failing to give him a chance to speak about the ordeals.
Nouri also said the last court session held nearly two months ago lifted some restrictions against him. Despite that, he added, he’s still being kept in solitary confinement.
Also, he has been denied visits and phone contacts with his family.
Nouri was arrested in November 20-19 upon arrival in the Swedish capital. He’s accused of rights violations against members of the anti-Iran terror group, Mujahedin Khalq Organization, in the 1980s.
In April this year, Swedish prosecutors requested life imprisonment for him. Iran says the allegations against Nouri are baseless and his trial is a political show.
The Iranian judiciary’s public relations department said on Friday that additional restrictions have been imposed on Nouri after more than 50 days since his last trial session in Sweden. He is waiting for the announcement of a verdict.
In his short phone contact, Nouri also told his family that he is not allowed to have any access to an ophthalmologist despite his worsening vision problems.
“In the last court session, the judge said that my restrictions have been lifted but after the end of the trial, my contact with my family was almost cut off.”
The former Iranian official said he has had only two short calls with his family over the past 53 days under strict control and in the presence of an interpreter.
For the first time, Nouri also gave details of his physical torture by Swedish police. “Three Swedish policemen inflicted severe blows on my head and ears due to which I still feel pain and problems in my ears.”
He said “no human rights organization has come to me or is following up on my case” despite his long-running solitary confinement.
In May, Secretary of Iran’s High Council for Human Rights Kazem Gharibabadi censured as “unlawful and unfair” the trial of Nouri in Sweden over alleged rights abuses.