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Freedom is a cherished value in the Americas, which is why the Islamic regime of Iran often stands in stark opposition to these principles. Despite being geographically distant, Iran’s influence is far-reaching, especially through its alliances with regional socialist regimes, and its practice of kidnapping, imprisoning, and executing those who try to escape its grip.
This is exactly what happened to Jamshid Sharmahd. A dual citizen of Germany and Iran, Sharmahd’s case sparked international outrage when the German government threatened reprisals if the Iranian regime acted against one of its citizens.
Germany initially responded by withdrawing its diplomatic staff from Iran. However, Sharmahd’s family, led by his daughter Gazelle, has criticized the German response as inadequate. They argue that the German government failed to save his life and later failed to recover his body. On social media, Germany’s Foreign Minister can be seen condemning Iran’s actions. However, the family maintains that they have not recovered his body (there is no confirmation he is dead), and that more could have been done to save his life, especially given his German citizenship.
Sharmahd’s case caused an international outcry, as he had been living in the United States, not Iran. Furthermore, he was not captured in Iran, but in the United Arab Emirates, where he was kidnapped before being taken to Iran and executed, sentenced to death by the Iranian regime.
His case was not resolved quickly. His family fought for four years to save his life. He was kidnapped in 2020 and executed in October 2024. The Iranian regime confirmed the execution of Jamshid Sharmahd, a dissident with dual nationality. He was accused of “leading terrorist operations” and allegedly linked to an attack on a mosque in 2008, a charge his family vehemently denies. What the family does acknowledge is that Sharmahd was a software engineer who contributed to the creation and maintenance of a website for Tondar, a group that seeks to restore the Iranian monarchy.
The group’s aim is to return Iran to what it was before the 1979 Islamic Revolution, when women could walk freely in public without covering their hair and choose the length of their skirts, a time before the «morality police» came to power.
According to Sharmahd’s family, he was detained in 2020 during a mandatory layover in Dubai, imposed due to COVID-19 lockdowns. From there, the family was able to track his phone and follow his movements. They saw him cross the Oman border, and soon after, he appeared on Iranian state television, blindfolded.
The family believes that from the moment he appeared on television, it was clear Sharmahd had been tortured. They stated that in his first televised confession, he appeared disoriented and was clearly coerced into admitting to terrorism charges, which the family insists are entirely false.
21 Similar Cases
And Sharmahd is not the only one. According to Spiked, his case is part of a broader pattern: the capture of dual nationals and foreigners by Iran to be used as pawns in global politics. Iranian authorities are said to have refined this practice over the years.
It is estimated that at least 21 people like Sharmahd are currently languishing in Iranian prisons, often because they hold dual nationality or have ties to the West. These individuals are reportedly being held on dubious charges such as “spreading corruption on Earth” or espionage.
Forced Confessions
As in Sharmahd’s case, detainees are often subjected to torture, isolation, and forced confessions before they even reach a public trial, or sometimes without any trial at all. These confessions are then broadcast to intimidate any opposition to the Iranian regime.
“When they kidnap your citizen and display him on TV,” explained Gazelle Sharmahd, “you expect your government to act: to publicly condemn the act, to demand his release.”
Instead of improving over time, the situation has only worsened. The persecution of dissidents increased dramatically in 2022 following the protests over the death of Mahsa Amini. While the regime claims otherwise, critics maintain that Amini was arrested for wearing her hijab «incorrectly,» which led to her tragic death in custody.
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