‘This court is unjust’: Iran's Hamid Nouri slams Swedish ‘sham’ court of appeal

Hamid Nouri, a former Iranian judiciary official who has been illegally incarcerated in Sweden, during a court of appeal on Wednesday said his trial has not been fair, a statement that prompted the judge to order his microphone to be turned off.

The first session of the court of appeal was held on Wednesday at Svea Court of Appeal, Stockholm.

Nouri was arrested immediately upon his arrival at the Stockholm Airport three years ago. Swedish authorities alleged that he was involved in the execution and torture of the members of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) in 1988.

In July, a Swedish court sentenced Nouri to life imprisonment. The court, which was described by Iranian officials as illegal, convicted Nouri of so-called war crimes and crimes against humanity, based on allegations leveled by the MKO terrorist cult.

Nouri, who has been put in solitary confinement since his illegal arrest, used the Wednesday tribunal to protest his unfair trial and treatment in Sweden.

“I consider this court unjust and will not attend the court as long as my problems are not addressed,” IRNA quoted him as saying at the beginning of the session as he was protesting the court for not allowing him to consult with his lawyers before the start of the session.

“Mr Judge! Let justice be established in your court! I have been counting down the seconds for this day so as to talk to you. Don’t hold a sham trial!” Nouri said.

The judge then ordered that Nouri’s microphone be turned off, however, he continued his remarks with a raised voice, saying, “I do not have access to an ophthalmologist; therefore, I do not have the ability to read the documents in my dossier.”

“I’ve been in solitary confinement for three years and two months. The judge has declared that the restrictions have ended for me, but my contacts are still blocked.”

Court of appeal expected to last for months  

Heibatollah Nazhandi-Manesh, who is a legal advisor to Nouri’s family, said in late December 2022 that the court of appeal would last until the end of 2023 when the case is finalized.

Nouri’s lawyers are basically questioning the legal legitimacy of the Swedish court.

Back in mid-July, the Iranian Foreign Ministry described the sentence as “illegal and contrary to the principles of international law,” calling the tribunal “incompetent” and the legal proceedings “illegal.”

Hamid Nouri’s torture in Swedish jail bears hallmarks of Israeli tactics, says son

Iranian prisoner Hamid Nouri has been tortured since he was arrested more than three years ago in Sweden, says his son Majid Nouri.

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kan’ani pointed to Nouri’s appeal during a press conference on Monday.  

He said that Tehran would pursue the case, calling on the Swedish government to take note of the consular rights of foreign people who have been “wrongfully” detained in the European country.

The remarks come as the Swedish judiciary has even limited consular access to Nouri. The Iranian detainee has been barred from meeting his family members. 

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