German on Iran's Death Row in Critical Health Condition

The daughter of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-Iranian man sentenced to death in Iran, says his health condition has deteriorated to a point where he can hardly speak or take a few steps.

Gazelle Sharmahd made the comments on the social media platform X on November 2, after the inmate was allowed to make a rare phone call to his wife.

“After 1185 days torture in solitary confinement my mom could barely understand him, his voice so weak that it was hard to make out his words, his heart so weak that he could barely take a few steps in his cell without exhaustion and stabbing pains,” Gazelle Sharmahd. “His first words were ‘what are they doing to get me out of here?’”

‼️I am in shock that my dad was allowed a rare PHONE CALL with my mom‼️With everything that is going on, they decide to let him speak to us to give us a sign of life. After 1185 days torture in solitary confinement my mom could barely understand him, his voice so weak that it… pic.twitter.com/KZb5mYTVuX

— Gazelle غزاله شارمهد (@GazelleSharmahd) November 2, 2023

The family of Sharmahd, who also has US residency, says he was abducted by Iranian authorities in the United Arab Emirates in July 2020 and forcibly transferred to Iran.

He was accused of heading a pro-monarchist group they blame for a deadly 2008 bombing and planning other attacks in the country – charges Sharmahd denies.

His death sentence, which was announced in February amid an increase in executions in Iran, was condemned by Germany and human rights groups. The German government ordered two employees of the Iranian embassy in Berlin to leave the country in protest, which was followed by a similar move by Tehran.

“My heart is split in half, excited for the sign of life even though Germany and the US, his governments that should have saved him, left him for 3.5 years to suffer in pain,” Gazelle Sharmahd wrote. “At the same time, I am terrified that the regime is allowing him this call because even they can tell that Jimmy won’t survive the brutal conditions any longer. Could it be a way to remove their direct responsibility from his health deterioration or even potential passing under pain?”

“Which government can tell me what they will do to save him, save the dozens of hostages in Iran, let alone the hundreds of hostages now in Gaza?” she asked. 

Western governments have repeatedly accused the Islamic Republic of taking dual and foreign nationals hostage for the sole purpose of using them in prisoner swaps or as a bargaining chip in international negotiations.