In response to the death sentence passed by a court in Tehran against the German-Iranian Jamshid Sharmahd, the German government has expelled two members of the Iranian embassy. This was announced by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) on Wednesday in Berlin.
The two were declared undesirable and asked to leave Germany within a short period of time. Because of the death sentence, she had also summoned the charge d’affaires of the Iranian embassy. Such an appointment is considered a sharp diplomatic device. “He was informed that we do not accept the massive violation of the rights of a German national,” said the minister.
Baerbock added: “We call on Iran to revoke the death sentence for Jamshid Sharmahd and to enable him to have a fair and due process of appeal.” The minister had already announced on Tuesday that the imposition of the death penalty “will result in a clear reaction”. .
A revolutionary court had held the 67-year-old human rights activist responsible for a terrorist attack, among other things, as the justice portal Misan announced on Tuesday. The Iranian judiciary also accused Sharmahd of planning several terrorist attacks. The court also charged him with cooperation with foreign secret services. The allegations cannot be verified. His family and human rights groups have previously denied allegations against him. The verdict triggered general outrage, with Foreign Minister Baerbock calling it “absolutely unacceptable”. Amnesty International spoke of a “show trial that has nothing to do with a legal process”.
Born in Tehran, Sharmahd grew up in Germany and emigrated to the United States in 2003. He is a member of the Tondar opposition group, also known as the Kingdom Assembly of Iran. She rejects the political system of the Islamic Republic of Iran and supports the reintroduction of the monarchy in the country.
Several European nationals are currently being held in Iran, many of whom are also of Iranian nationality. Critics accuse Iran of holding foreign nationals as political hostages. Tehran denies the allegations and usually justifies the arrests with allegations of espionage.
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