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Federal Chancellor Scholz describes Sharmahd's execution as scandalous

Horrified reaction to the execution of the German national in Iran 

29.10.2024
Entsetzen über Hinrichtung des deutschen Staatsbürgers in Iran.
© dpa

Berlin (dpa) - Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock strongly condemned the execution of Djamshid Sharmahd, who had dual German-Irani citizenship, in Iran. Scholz described the killing as scandalous, pointing out that the Federal Government had repeatedly made intensive efforts to bring about Sharmahd's release. Baerbock said that “murdering” Sharmahd had “illustrated once again the anti-human attitude of the regime in Teheran.” It had been made clear repeatedly to Teheran “that executing a German national will have severe consequences,” she added. The Foreign Office has summoned the head of the Irani embassy to Berlin. 

The Iranian judiciary had announced Sharmahd's execution on Monday. In spring 2023, he had been sentenced to death for alleged terrorist activities. The accusations were vehemently denied by his relatives and human rights activists. The Iranian judiciary refused any consular access until the end. The presiding judge in the Sharmahd trial was Abolghassem Salawati who is also known as the "Judge of Death" and has been sanctioned by the USA and the European Union. Sharmahd had been abducted to Iran under mysterious circumstances on a trip to Dubai in summer 2020. He had since been in solitary confinement.