In a significant development, Zohreh Elahian, the chairwoman of the Human Rights Committee at the Iranian parliament, announced on Sunday that Iran intends to file a complaint with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Sweden's judiciary. The complaint pertains to what Iran alleges as the illegal prosecution and imposition of a life sentence on former official Hamid Nouri by the Swedish legal system.
The move comes in the wake of the Stockholm Court of Appeals recently upholding a life sentence for Nouri, who was arrested in 2019 on what Iran contends are baseless allegations of human rights violations. Elahian expressed concerns about the influence of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorist group on the Swedish judicial system, suggesting that the life sentence was issued based on unfounded complaints from the MKO.
Elahian emphasized that Nouri's family refuses to recognize the Swedish National Court's verdict, citing non-compliance with legal standards. She stated the intention to lodge a complaint with international conventions and pursue the case at the ICJ, the highest UN court dealing with disputes between states. Although ICJ rulings are binding, the court lacks the power to enforce them.
Highlighting the alleged injustices in Nouri's case, Elahian criticized Sweden for the former official's 50-month solitary confinement, which she described as a result of false testimonies from MKO terrorists in what she called a "show and pre-planned trial." She argued that this contradicts Sweden's claims of being one of the world's freest countries.
Elahian further accused the Swedish government and judicial system of denying Nouri basic rights, including the choice of a lawyer, and criticized the refusal to grant visas to witnesses summoned by public defenders. Additionally, she condemned last-minute permissions that hindered witnesses from appearing in court via video link. The Iranian lawmaker concluded by condemning Sweden for allegedly subjecting immigrants to illegal pressure, unfair discrimination, and silencing their voices in the media.
