Johan Floderus stands accused of having “spread corruption in the world”, a broad criminal classification that appeared in several death sentences. The trial against him began in December and on Sunday the prosecutor gave his closing argument.
He repeated his earlier messages that Floderus conducted “very intensive intelligence work” on behalf of Israel. The prosecutor ended his closing argument by calling for the death penalty for Johan Floderus, reports the Iranian state news agency Mizan.
Sveriges business manager in Iran attended Sunday’s trial, the State Department said.
“The embassy is in close contact with Johan Floderu’s lawyer and is also monitoring the case very closely. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in regular contact with Johan’s family,” writes the Foreign Ministry’s press service.
“There is no basis whatsoever for keeping Johan Floderus in custody, let alone bringing him before a court. Both Sweden and the EU have presented this with great clarity to representatives of Iran.”
Johan Floderus has been imprisoned for more than 600 days. Photo: Koosha Mahshid Falahi/AFP
The trial day was the last scheduled, and Floderu’s defense now has a week to come up with additions to the evidence. When the verdict will be announced is unclear.
Johan Floderus, who works with aid issues for the EU’s foreign service, was arrested on 17 April 2022 in Tehran during a private trip. Since then, he has been imprisoned in Iran’s notorious Evin prison.
It has been speculated that the trial against Floderus is part of an Iranian attempt to get a prisoner exchange with Sweden. In such cases, it would involve Iran handing over Floderus and the Swedish-Iranian Ahmadreza Djalali, sentenced to death, in exchange for the Iranian Hamid Noury.
Noury has been sentenced to life in prison in Sweden, for serious crimes against humanity and murder for his involvement in mass executions in an Iranian prison in the late 1980s. Iran has made loud protests against the verdict and after it was upheld in the Svea Court of Appeal, Tehran-controlled media reported that a “heavy” punishment awaits Johan Floderus.
Read more:
Man arrested in Iran following Swedish arrest warrant
Iranian media: The punishment for Floderus “could be heavy”
Djalali threatened in Iran: “Execution close”
