Swiss national who died in jail had photographed military sites: Iran
Iran’s Judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said on Wednesday that a Swiss prisoner who took his own life this month had been jailed for “taking photos of restricted military sites.”
On January 9, the judiciary said a Swiss national accused of spying had committed suicide in jail in the eastern city of Semnan.
A day later Switzerland confirmed the man’s death, identifying him as a 64-year-old who had been visiting the country as a tourist.
He had been living in southern Africa and had not resided in Switzerland for nearly two decades, the Swiss authorities added, without identifying him.
On Wednesday, Jahangir provided more details, saying the man was born in Namibia, held Swiss citizenship, and had entered Iran last September or October.
“He entered our country as a tourist in (the Iranian month of) Mehr, driving a private car equipped with various technical devices,” Jahangir said at a press conference.
“After travelling through several provinces, he reached Semnan Province, where he was arrested for taking photographs of a restricted military site.”
Jahangir added that the man had been accused of cooperating with “hostile governments.”
“On the day of the incident, after having breakfast, in the absence of his cellmate, he turned off the cell’s electricity and, in a spot not covered by cameras, cut a curtain in the restroom and managed to hang himself. Prison staff immediately responded upon being informed of the incident and arrived at the scene, but despite their efforts, the individual passed away,” Jahangir said.
“With the permission of the Iranian Prisons’ Organization, a delegation from the Swiss Embassy, along with a trusted physician, was present at the scene, examined the body, and confirmed the suicide. The body was then transferred to the Tehran Forensic Medicine Organization and, in the presence of Swiss embassy representatives, handed over to them,” Jahangir said.
His body was transferred to Tehran and handed over to the Swiss Embassy for repatriation, the spokesman added.