Dispute Arises Over Death of German-Iranian Dissident Jamshid Sharmahd

The Iranian judiciary states that Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian dissident sentenced to death, died prior to his execution. This assertion has led to outrage from Germany and ongoing scrutiny of Iran's judicial practices.

Iran's judiciary has stated that Jamshid Sharmahd, an Iranian-German dissident who was sentenced to death, died before his execution could be executed, contrary to reports from state media. On October 28, state media declared that Sharmahd had been "punished for his actions" relating to a controversial trial that human rights groups criticized as unfair. On November 1, Asghar Jahangir, the judiciary spokesman, informed reporters that while Sharmahd's death sentence was prepared for enforcement, he had died "before the sentence could be executed," without offering further clarifications.

The situation deepened when Sharmahd's daughter, Gazelle, called for proof of her father's execution, expressing distrust in Iranian authorities. This follows the German Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock's, decision to close all Iranian consulates in Germany and to recall the German ambassador from Tehran, calling Sharmahd's death a "cold-blooded murder." In response, Jahangir dismissed Germany's outcry, asserting the independence of Iran's judicial system and its right to handle domestic matters without foreign intervention.

Jamshid Sharmahd, aged 69, was accused of leading the Iran-based Tondar group and of orchestrating various attacks within the country, including a 2008 mosque bombing in Shiraz that resulted in casualties. His family believes Iran's government kidnapped him in Dubai in 2020, facilitated by agents, and that he was subsequently taken to Iran. Iranian authorities highlighted that Sharmahd had been arrested in July 2020, following a "complex operation," sharing a video of him seemingly confessing to crimes while blindfolded.

In a related judicial development, Iranian authorities recently announced the death sentences of three individuals linked to the 2020 assassination of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh—a killing for which Iran has held Israel responsible. Jahangir accused the convicts of espionage and facilitating the assassination under the guise of smuggling. The intertwined narratives surrounding Sharmahd's death and the ongoing political tensions reveal the complexities of Iran's relationship with both its dissidents and foreign nations.