Sweden convicts ex-Iranian official over prison executions

A Swedish court on Thursday sentenced a former Iranian official to life in prison for participating in the 1988 mass killings of jailed dissidents.

Hamid Nouri was convicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity over his role in the killing of at least 5,000 prisoners across Iran, alleged to have been ordered by Ayatollah Khomeini.

Thursday's verdict followed court proceedings that have been running since August 2021.

First trial of Iranian for prison purge

Nouri was arrested at a Stockholm airport in 2019 after Iranian dissidents in Sweden filed police complaints against him.

The proceedings marked the first time an Iranian prison official has gone on trial for the 1988 purge of prisoners.

The executions were revenge for attacks carried out by exiled dissident group the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) towards the end of the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-88.

Nouri argued that he was on leave during the period when the killings took place and said he worked in another prison.

Nouri told the court on the last day of hearings on May 4 that he hoped "these hands will be cleared... with the help of God."

Several witnesses, however, testified that they recognized Nouri as being present during the executions.

Iran protests

According to Iranian media, Tehran summoned the Swedish charge d'affaires and handed him a note of protest.

"Iran is absolutely certain that Noury's sentence was politically motivated and it has no legal validity," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanaani said in a statement.

The trial has soured ties between Sweden and Iran and has led to worries about reprisals against Western prisoners held by the Islamic Republic.

Swedish law allows courts to try Swedish citizens and other nationals for crimes against international law committed abroad.

jsi, dvv/sms (AFP, Reuters)