A Swiss national detained in Iran, accused of spying, committed suicide in prison on Thursday, the chief justice of Iran’s Semnan province was quoted as saying by the Mizan news agency.
The Swiss national was being detained in prison around 180 kilometers (110 miles) east of Tehran.
“This morning, a Swiss citizen committed suicide in the Semnan prison. This Swiss citizen had been arrested by the security agencies for spying … and their case was being investigated,” Mohammad Sadegh Akbari said.
“Efforts to save him were unsuccessful,” Mizan quoted Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, the head of the province’s justice department, as saying.
The news of the death comes a day after an Italian national was released from an Iranian prison.
Swiss authorities in contact with Iran
The Swiss Foreign Affairs Department (FDFA) confirmed the death in an email. The FDFA said that its embassy in Tehran was in contact with local authorities to clarify what happened.
“The Swiss Embassy in Tehran is in contact with the local authorities to clarify the circumstances of the death in an Iranian prison,” FDFA spokesperson Pierre-Alain Eltschinger wrote in the email, adding officials were assisting the deceased’s relatives.
Switzerland plays an important intermediary role between the United States and Iran.
The central European country has served as the protecting power for Washington since it ended its diplomatic relations with Tehran after the 1979 US Embassy seizure in support of the Iranian revolution and hostage crisis.
jsi/ab (AP, Reuters, AFP)
Editor’s note: If you are suffering from serious emotional strain or suicidal thoughts, do not hesitate to seek professional help. You can find information on where to find such help, no matter where you live in the world, at this website:
