Iran Starts Trial of Swedish EU Employee Accused of 'Spying for Israel'

Iran has initiated the trial of Johan Floderus, a 33-year-old Swedish national employed by the European Union, who stands accused of spying for Israel and the grave offense of "corruption on earth," a crime punishable by death in Iran.

The Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency revealed the charges in an online report on Sunday, alleging that Floderus engaged in extensive activities against national security and collaborated with the Zionist regime,as per to Al Jazeera.

EU Diplomat Johan Floderus Trial in Iran

(Photo : AMIR ABBAS GHASEMI/MIZAN NEWS AGENCY/AFP via Getty Images)
Swedish EU diplomat Johan Floderus (C) attends a court session in Tehran on December 10, 2023. The Swede who works for the EU diplomatic service, was arrested on April 17, 2022, at Tehran airport as he was returning home from a trip with friends, and is accused by Iran's authorities of conspiring with arch-enemy Israel to harm the Islamic republic, the judiciary said on December 10.

Floderus, a member of the EU's diplomatic service, was arrested on April 17, 2022, at Tehran airport upon his return from a trip with friends. Currently held in Tehran's notorious Evin prison, his arrest coincided with the trial in Sweden of Iranian national Hamid Noury, who faced charges related to the mass execution of dissidents in Tehran in 1988 and was sentenced to life in July 2022.

The Iranian judiciary contends that Floderus conducted widespread intelligence cooperation with Israel and played a pivotal role in "subversive projects" benefiting the Israeli government. Additionally, he is accused of establishing a network of agents for the Swedish intelligence service, gathering information on Iran's nuclear and enrichment programs, and maintaining ties with the exiled People's Mujahedin (MEK) opposition group.

Floderus's family, deeply distressed by the situation, maintains that he has been arbitrarily detained without due process. In an interview with The Guardian, Johan's father, Matts Floderus, expressed the family's concerns, asserting that the impending trial is mere theater and make-believe. The family is anxiously awaiting the trial's outcome, which is expected in December.

Mizan, the Iranian news agency, released photos of Floderus appearing in a pale blue prison uniform, handcuffed, as the charges were read. The severity of the allegations, including "corruption on earth," one of Iran's most serious offenses, has sparked an international outcry, according to The Guardian.

EU, Sweden Demand Johan Floderus Release

The European Union's foreign affairs chief, Josep Borrell, and Sweden's foreign minister, Tobias Billström, have both called for Floderus's immediate release. Borrell stated, "There are absolutely no grounds for keeping Johan Floderus in detention," echoing the sentiment of many who believe the charges are baseless.

Sweden, where Floderus is a citizen, declared on Saturday that the trial had commenced but did not specify the charges. The Swedish Foreign Ministry vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that every charge against Floderus is false. The ministry has communicated its concerns to Iran at various levels, emphasizing the arbitrary nature of Floderus's detention.

The trial adds strain to the already tense relations between Sweden and Iran, exacerbated since 2019 when Sweden arrested a former Iranian official involved in the mass execution and torture of political prisoners in the 1980s. The Iranian judiciary claims Floderus operated through projects sponsored by US and European institutions to gather intelligence for Israel. Another hearing is expected to be announced at a later date, raising questions about the transparency and fairness of the proceedings, Voice of America reported.