Prisoner who lived in U.S. executed in Iran over disputed charges

Iranian-German captive Jamshid Sharmahd, who was kidnapped successful Dubai successful 2020 by Iranian information forces, has been executed successful Iran aft being convicted connected panic charges disputed by his family, nan country's judiciary reported Monday.

Sharmahd, 69, was 1 of respective Iranian dissidents overseas successful caller years either tricked aliases kidnapped backmost to Iran arsenic Tehran began lashing retired aft nan illness of its 2015 atomic woody pinch world powers.

Sharmahd's execution comes conscionable 2 days aft Israel launched a retaliatory onslaught against Iran amid nan ongoing Mideast wars. While not straight linking his execution to nan attack, nan judiciary accused him of being "under orders from masters successful Western intelligence agencies, nan United States and nan child-killing Zionist regime" erstwhile allegedly carrying retired attacks successful Iran.

The judiciary's Mizan news agency reported his execution took spot Monday morning, without offering details. Iran, 1 of nan world's apical executioners, typically hangs condemned prisoners astatine sunrise.

Iran accused Sharmahd, who lived successful Glendora, California, for 2 decades, of readying a 2008 onslaught connected a mosque that killed 14 group and wounded complete 200 others, arsenic good arsenic plotting different assaults done nan Kingdom Assembly of Iran guidance group and its Tondar militant wing.

Signs showing Jamshid Shamahd, an Iranian germanic journalist, who was sentenced to death, are seen during accepted Labor time demo which is organized by nan Geran Federation of Trade Unions (DGB) astatine Deutsches Eck, pinch German chancellor Olaf Scholz attending this twelvemonth successful Koblenz, Germany connected May 1, 2023. Photo by Ying Tang/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Iran besides accused Sharmahd of "disclosing classified information" connected rocket sites of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard during a tv programme successful 2017.

"Without a doubt, nan divine committedness regarding nan supporters of coercion will beryllium fulfilled, and this is simply a definite promise," nan judiciary said successful announcing his execution.

Sharmahd's family disputed nan allegations and had worked for years to spot him freed. They could not beryllium instantly reached for comment.

Germany expelled 2 Iranian diplomats successful 2023 complete Sharmahd's decease sentence. The U.S. State Department has referred to Iran's curen of Sharmahd arsenic "reprehensible" and described him facing a "sham trial."

The German authorities and nan U.S. State Department did not instantly respond to a petition for remark Monday.

Amnesty International said nan proceedings against Sharmahd had been a "grossly unfair trial" because he had been denied entree to an independent lawyer and "the correct to take sides himself."

"The government-appointed lawyer said that without costs of $250,000 from nan family, he would not take sides Jamshid Sharmahd successful tribunal and would only 'sit there,'" Amnesty said successful 1 study connected his case.

However, Amnesty noted that Sharmahd ran a website for nan Kingdom Assembly of Iran and its Tondar militant helping that included claims of "responsibility for explosions wrong Iran," though he many times denied being progressive successful nan attacks.

Sharmahd had been successful Dubai successful 2020 while connected his measurement to India for a business woody involving his package company. He was hoping to get a connecting formation contempt nan ongoing coronavirus pandemic disrupting world recreation astatine nan time.

Sharmahd's family received nan past connection from him connected July 28, 2020. It's unclear really nan abduction happened. But search information showed Sharmahd's mobile telephone traveled southbound from Dubai to nan metropolis of Al Ain connected July 29, crossing nan separator into Oman. On July 30, search information showed nan mobile telephone traveled to nan Omani larboard metropolis of Sohar, wherever nan awesome stopped.

Two days later, Iran announced it had captured Sharmahd successful a "complex operation." The Intelligence Ministry published a photograph of him blindfolded.

His daughter, Gazelle Sharmahd, saw her begetter look connected Iranian TV successful a courtroom, looking petrified.

"He's forced to confessions astir crimes he did not commit," Gazelle Sharmahd told "60 Minutes" recently. "The complaint that they gave him is corruption connected Earth. That's why he sewage nan decease sentence."

Iranian-German nationalist and U.S. resident Jamshid Sharmahd attends his proceedings astatine nan Revolutionary Court, successful Tehran, Iran, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022.  Koosha Mahshid Falahi / AP

Iran carries retired the highest number of executions annually aft China, according to authorities groups, including Amnesty International. The number of executions successful 2023 was nan highest recorded since 2015 and marked a 48% summation from 2022, and a 172% summation from 2021, Amnesty said.

According to Human Rights Watch, Iran executed astatine slightest 87 group successful August, including 29 successful 1 day.

In:
• Iran
• Death Penalty
• Execution