Ahmadreza Djalali, before his forced transfer, had informed his family in a brief call from prison that agents had come to take him
Iran Human Rights Society, Friday, June 27, 2025 – In recent days, following the mass transfer of several political prisoners from Evin Prison to Greater Tehran Prison, alarming reports have emerged regarding the uncertain fate of Ahmadreza Djalali, an Iranian-Swedish physician and researcher. Reliable sources have confirmed that Djalali was taken by intelligence agents to an unknown location, and no information has been received about his status or whereabouts since. This development is particularly concerning given that his life is at serious risk due to a finalized death sentence issued against him.
Complete Lack of Information on Djalali’s Whereabouts; Last Contact from Prison
According to available information, prior to his forced transfer, Ahmadreza Djalali had a brief contact with his family from prison, informing them that agents had come to take him. Since that moment, no further contact has been made by him, and judicial and security authorities have refused to provide any information about his fate. Djalali’s situation has sparked widespread concern among human rights activists, international organizations, and his family.
A Worrying Scenario Amid Regional Tensions
Since the onset of Israel’s attacks, warnings had been issued about the increased likelihood of executing prisoners convicted of espionage for Israel or alleged ties to the country. These concerns were not unfounded, as at least five prisoners accused of connections with Israel or spying for it have been executed in Iran since the attacks began. This trend has raised fears that Ahmadreza Djalali and other prisoners facing death sentences may be on the verge of execution.
Ahmadreza Djalali: A Crisis Management Researcher Turned Political Hostage
Ahmadreza Djalali had been residing in Sweden since 2009, holding permanent residency there. He was a distinguished physician and researcher in crisis management, teaching and conducting research at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Djalali also had a history of academic collaboration with prestigious universities in Italy and Belgium. In May 2016, he traveled to Iran at the official invitation of the University of Tehran to attend an academic conference but was arrested by security forces upon arrival.
Initially accused of “collaboration with hostile states,” he was later sentenced to death in an opaque and unfair judicial process on charges of “corruption on earth through espionage for Israel.” The sentence, based on forced confessions obtained under duress, was upheld by Iran’s Supreme Court, and the threat of execution has loomed over Djalali ever since.
Official Silence and Global Concern
While Iranian judicial and security authorities refuse to provide any information about Djalali’s whereabouts, international concern has grown significantly. Human rights organizations have emphasized that the secret transfer of political prisoners without informing their families or lawyers constitutes a clear violation of fair trial principles and fundamental human rights.
Djalali’s family and human rights groups have repeatedly called on the international community, the United Nations, and the European Union to take urgent action to save the life of this Iranian-Swedish researcher and pressure Iranian authorities to prevent his execution.
Escalating Danger for Political Prisoners: The Bitter Experience of Disappeared Prisoners
Alongside Djalali’s case, similar reports have emerged of other political prisoners whose whereabouts remain unknown. Ali Younesi, an award-winning Olympiad student detained alongside Amirhossein Moradi since 2020, is among those recently transferred to an unknown location with no further information available.
These cases reflect an intensifying wave of repression, human rights violations, and growing fears of a new surge of political executions in Iran. Such actions constitute enforced disappearance, which, under international treaties like the Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, is considered a crime against humanity.
Urgent Call for Action from the EU and International Community
Given Ahmadreza Djalali’s permanent residency in Sweden and the European citizenship of some political prisoners’ families, human rights activists have urged the European Union to respond swiftly to these gross human rights violations. They warn that if the international community remains silent, the risk of imminent execution for Djalali and other political prisoners will increase.
Ahmadreza Djalali’s Life in Grave Danger
With the continued silence of judicial and security authorities and Djalali’s secret transfer to an unknown location, the threat of his execution feels more imminent than ever. Ahmadreza Djalali and other political prisoners facing death sentences have become symbols of injustice and widespread human rights violations in Iran, requiring urgent attention and effective action from international institutions.
Flagrant Human Rights Violations in Djalali’s Case
The covert transfer of Ahmadreza Djalali to an unknown location without informing his family or lawyer is a clear violation of fundamental human rights principles. This action contravenes several provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including:
Article 3 of the UDHR: Right to life and personal security;
Article 9 of the ICCPR: Prohibition of arbitrary detention and the obligation to inform about the reasons for detention and place of custody;
Article 10 of the ICCPR: Right to humane and respectful treatment in detention;
Article 14 of the ICCPR: Right to a fair trial and access to legal representation.
Based on these provisions, the enforced disappearance of Ahmadreza Djalali constitutes a gross violation of Iran’s international obligations, and the global community has a duty to take urgent action to halt this unlawful process and save his life.
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