Iran says Swiss citizen who died in custody photographed military sites | Politics News
Iran’s judiciary claims an unidentified man died by suicide after being arrested for espionage.
Tehran, Iran – Iran’s judiciary says A Swiss citizen who died in an Iranian prison earlier this month he was arrested after taking photos of sensitive military locations.
Justice spokesman Asghar Jahangir told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday that an unnamed man entered Iran last year through the Dogharoun border crossing with Afghanistan in the northeastern province of Razavi Khorasan.
His vehicle had “various heavy-duty technical equipment” and he entered as a tourist, Jahangir said.
Swiss officials, who previously confirmed the man’s death, identified him as a 64-year-old visiting the country as a tourist. They said he lived in southern Africa and had not been in Switzerland for almost two decades.
A spokesman for Iran’s judiciary said on Wednesday that the man was born in Namibia, had Swiss citizenship and had entered the Iranian calendar month of Mehr, which ended on October 21.
“The person entered Semnan province after passing through several provinces and was arrested at a restricted military site while taking photos of her. He was arrested on charges of photographing restricted sources and collaborating with an enemy government and was transferred to prison. The Swiss embassy in Tehran was also informed at the same time.”
Iran said the unnamed Swiss national died by suicide while in prison.
Jahangir said that on January 9, the Swiss national cut off the electricity to his cell and killed himself in a part of the cell that was not visible to the prison’s camera system. Attempts to revive him failed.
A spokesman said a delegation from the Swiss embassy, which included a trusted doctor, had been called to the scene.
“They examined the body and confirmed it was suicide. The body was transferred to the coroner’s office in Tehran and handed over in the presence of representatives of the Swiss embassy,” said Jahangir.
Semnan is located in central Iran and is home to several major military sites, including major ones facilities for testing and launching satellites and ballistic missiles.
