The daughter of a man residing in California who has been condemned to death in Iran has requested German authorities to initiate criminal proceedings against members of the Iranian judiciary.
Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian citizen, was allegedly abducted by Iran while staying in Dubai three years ago, according to his family. Iranian authorities accused him of orchestrating a 2008 attack on a mosque that resulted in the death of 14 individuals and left over 200 others injured. Earlier this year, he was sentenced to death.
The verdict has drawn condemnation from German and European diplomats, particularly in light of the surge in executions carried out by Iran.
Germany adheres to the principle of universal jurisdiction, enabling its authorities to investigate serious crimes committed in other parts of the world.
Gazelle Sharmahd, the daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, has filed a criminal complaint with the German federal prosecutor’s office, alleging crimes against humanity against eight high-ranking members of Iran’s judiciary and intelligence service.
The European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), based in Berlin, has announced the submission of the filing on Wednesday, in support of Gazelle Sharmahd’s case. The complaint specifically targets prominent Iranian judge Abdolghassem Salavati and former Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi, among others.
In a statement on Wednesday, Gazelle Sharmahd expressed, “The kidnapping in Dubai, the unlawful detention, the torture while in detention, and the imminent execution of my father as a result of a show trial exemplify the untold crimes of the Iranian regime.”
Wolfgang Kaleck, the secretary general of ECCHR, stated, “The regime in Tehran is responsible for the systematic torture, sexual violence, executions and ‘disappearances’ perpetrated against tens of thousands of people — most recently in the wake of the crackdown on the feminist revolution.”
“Whether through criminal charges in Germany in the Sharmahd case, legal action in another country or before an international court, the goal is to bring high-ranking officials of the Iranian government, judiciary, and security apparatus to justice for these crimes.”
In relation to the Sharmahd case, Germany and Iran expelled diplomats from each other’s countries earlier this year. It is worth noting that Glendora, California, is Jamshid Sharmahd’s hometown.
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