Kidnapped Dissident Habib Chaab Indicted in Iran

A spokesperson for the Iranian judiciary has said Habib Asyud, better known as Habib Chaab, the founder and former leader of the Al-Ahvaz Liberation Arab Movement, has been indicted and his case has been referred to the Revolutionary Court.

Zabihollah Khodaeian described the Swedish national as "leader of the terrorist and separatist group Al-Ahvazieh, backed by the foreign services of various countries".

He added: "Asyud is charged with bombing governmental and private buildings, terror and the shooting of officials and ordinary people, spying, and the destruction of sensitive oil and gas facilities, as well as money laundering."

Khodaeian provided no details as to which branch of the Revolutionary Court would be trying the prisoner, who is also accused of leading the fundamentalist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.

According to officials of the Islamic Republic, the so-called "terror group” operates under the auspices of the Saudi and Israeli intelligence services.

Habib Chaab is also accused of being the main perpetrator of a terror attack in Ahvaz on September 22, 2018, which killed 25 people.

His case made headlines around the world after he was abducted in October 2020 during a trip to Turkey from Sweden and smuggled back to Iran. Turkish police have reportedly arrested 11 people in connection with the kidnapping.

Akbar Khoshkushk, a former official in the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence, claimed on November 9, 2021 that Habib Chaab had been "extradited to Iran by Turkey." He added: "There are many such exchanges between Iranian security forces and the Turkish MIT. Of course, they also have demands that we take care of."

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