Iran has reported the execution of Iranian-German prisoner Jamshid Sharmahd, who was kidnapped in Dubai in 2020 by Iranian security forces. Sharmahd, 69, was convicted on disputed terror charges by the country's judiciary. He was one of several Iranian dissidents abroad who were either tricked or kidnapped back to Iran in recent years.
Sharmahd's execution comes shortly after Israel launched a retaliatory strike against Iran amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. The judiciary accused Sharmahd of plotting attacks in Iran under orders from Western intelligence agencies, the United States, and Israel.
Iran accused Sharmahd of planning a 2008 attack on a mosque that killed 14 people and disclosing classified information on missile sites of Iran's Revolutionary Guard. Sharmahd's family disputed the allegations and had campaigned for his release.
Germany and the United States condemned Iran for Sharmahd's execution, with Germany expelling two Iranian diplomats over the incident. The U.S. State Department described Sharmahd's treatment as reprehensible and criticized Iran for a sham trial.
Amnesty International labeled the trial against Sharmahd as grossly unfair, citing denial of access to an independent lawyer. Sharmahd had been targeted by Iran prior to his kidnapping, as revealed in a 2010 U.S. diplomatic cable.
Sharmahd was kidnapped in Dubai in 2020 while on a business trip. His family received the last message from him on July 28, 2020, before he was captured by Iranian forces. The United Nations had called for his immediate release in 2022, deeming his detention arbitrary.
Sharmahd's execution adds to a series of dissidents put to death by Iran after being brought back to the country, including exiled journalist Ruhollah Zam and Iranian-Swedish dual national Farajollah Cha’ab.
