Germany expels two Iranian diplomats on death sentence WGN Radio 720

BERLIN (AP) — Germany on Wednesday announced the expulsion of two Iranian diplomats over the death sentence imposed on one of its citizens.

Iranian authorities announced Tuesday that 67-year-old Jamshid Sharmahd, a German of Iranian descent who lives in the United States, has been sentenced to death after being found guilty of terrorist activities.

Iran claims Shalmad is a militant leader of a group that advocates restoring the monarchy overthrown in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, but his family says he is only a spokesman for the opposition group. They have accused Iranian intelligence of kidnapping him from Dubai in 2020.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Beerbock said she had summoned Iran’s acting envoy in Berlin to tell her that “this massive violation of the rights of German citizens will not be tolerated.”

“As a result, the German government declared two members of the Iranian embassy as unwanted persons and asked them to leave Germany immediately,” she said. We demand that the death sentence against Jamshid Sharmad be revoked and that he be given a fair and rule of law appeal.”

Germany said Mr Sharmad, who lives in Glendora, Calif., had not been given “even a fair trial initiation” and had been repeatedly denied consular access and access to a trial. He said he was arrested under “suspicious circumstances,” but did not give further details.

The death sentence, which can be appealed, comes against the backdrop of months of anti-government protests and a violent crackdown on dissent in Iran. Monarchists based outside Iran support the protests, as do other groups and individuals with different ideologies.

Sharmad was found guilty of plotting terrorist activities, according to the official website of the Iranian judiciary. He was tried in the Revolutionary Court. Lawsuits here are private, and rights groups say defendants can’t choose their lawyers or see evidence against them.

https://wgnradio.com/news/international/ap-germany-expels-2-iranian-diplomats-over-death-sentence/ Germany expels two Iranian diplomats on death sentence WGN Radio 720

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