Wed Jan 22 22:31:44 IST 2025: ## Swiss National Died by Suicide in Iranian Prison After Espionage Arrest: Judiciary
**Tehran, Iran** – Iran’s judiciary has announced that a 64-year-old Swiss national who died in an Iranian prison earlier this month committed suicide. The man, who had been living in Southern Africa and held Swiss citizenship but hadn’t resided in Switzerland for two decades, was arrested on espionage charges after being caught photographing sensitive military sites in Semnan province.
Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir stated that the man, whose identity remains undisclosed, entered Iran last year through the Dogharoun border crossing with Afghanistan. His vehicle contained “a variety of technical equipment with difficult uses,” and he initially presented himself as a tourist. However, authorities allege he subsequently photographed restricted military areas in Semnan, a province known for its significant military installations, including missile testing facilities.
Jahangir claims the man was arrested for photographing restricted resources and cooperating with a hostile government. Following his arrest, the Swiss embassy in Tehran was notified. According to the judiciary, the man committed suicide on January 9th by cutting off the electricity to his cell and then killing himself in a camera-blind spot. A Swiss embassy delegation, including a doctor, examined the body and confirmed the suicide, the Iranian judiciary insists. The body was subsequently transferred to a Tehran coroner’s office with Swiss embassy representatives present.
While Iranian authorities maintain the death was a suicide, the circumstances surrounding the arrest and death remain shrouded in ambiguity, prompting likely further scrutiny from international bodies. Swiss officials have previously confirmed the death of their citizen but have yet to officially comment on the Iranian judiciary’s account.
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