TEHRAN- Iran is planning to lodge a protest with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Sweden’s judiciary for the unjust prosecution and sentencing of former official Hamid Nouri to life in prison, as stated by the chairwoman of the Human Rights Committee of the Iranian parliament.
Zohreh Elahian made these remarks on Sunday, following Nouri’s life sentence by the Stockholm Court of Appeals, after being detained in 2019 on false accusations of human rights violations.
Elahian expressed that the Swedish judicial system appeared to be influenced by the propaganda of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group, leading to a life sentence based on unfounded complaints from the group.
She further stated that Nouri’s family has the right to reject the Swedish National Court’s verdict, file a complaint with international conventions, and pursue the case at the ICJ.
The ICJ, located in The Hague, is the highest court of the United Nations that handles disputes between governments, and its decisions are final, even if it lacks the authority to carry them out.
Elahian also criticized Sweden’s claim about being among the freest nations, pointing out the disparity with Nouri’s 50-month solitary prison sentence and the false testimony of MKO terrorists in a “show and pre-planned trial.”
She also accused the Swedish government and judicial system of denying Nouri his right to choose a lawyer, refusing to grant visas to witnesses called by public defenders, and preventing witnesses from presenting via video link at the last minute.
Furthermore, Elahian condemned the Swedish government for unlawfully pressuring and discriminating against immigrants, as well as silencing their opinions in the media.
Nouri was detained and imprisoned upon his arrival at Stockholm Airport in November 2019 and was put on trial based on false claims made by the MKO terrorist group, accusing him of involvement in the death and torture of MKO members in 1988, which he denies. Nouri was sentenced to life in prison by a Swedish court in July.
The court, which Iran claims was unjust from the start, found Nouri guilty of “war crimes and crimes against humanity” largely based on charges made by MKO terrorists living in exile throughout Europe.