Family of Jailed German-Iranian Dissident Concerned Over His Condition 

The family of a German-Iranian political dissident sentenced to death in Iran is expressing concern over his condition after a phone conversation with him Sunday.

Ghazaleh Sharmahd, the daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, wrote on Twitter “After five months, today we had our first phone call with my father, Jamshid Sharmahd. It is concerning that he was deprived of contact with his daughter for two years, and now he has been allowed to speak with me.”

“This greatly worries me. Could this be his farewell call,” she said.

Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian dual citizen and opposition figure was accused of masterminding a deadly 2008 bombing of a mosque in Shiraz, charges his family strongly denies. He faces a death sentence.

Sharmahd, 68, had been living in the United States, where he served as the spokesperson for Tondar, a group that aims to restore the Western-backed monarchy that ruled Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. His family says Iranian authorities kidnapped Sharmahd during a stopover in Dubai in 2020.

Describing her father’s condition during the Sunday phone call, Ghazaleh Sharmahd said “His voice was feeble, he was severely ill, and he has spent over 1,000 days in solitary confinement, enduring pain and terror.”

Amnesty International said that he has been deprived of adequate health care and called for his immediate release.

Germany has condemned the death sentence that was handed down against Jamshid Sharmahd.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock questioned the proceedings in the case against him and said earlier this year that Sharmahd never had “even the semblance of a fair trial.” She asked Iran to reverse the death sentence immediately.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani accused Germany of “interfering in Iran’s internal and judicial affairs,” and said “Iran will not ask permission from anyone in the way of confronting terrorism and executing justice.”
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