Investigations Underway in Espionage Case

Judiciary officials are investigating a case involving a number of suspects arrested on espionage charges, including an individual who recently committed suicide in detention.  

“The case against these people will be referred to the Revolution Court after the due process is complete in the public prosecutor’s office dealing with security charges,” Musa Ghazanfarabadi, head of Tehran’s Revolution Court, told ISNA in an interview published on Monday. 

The individuals have been accused of spying, the official said, adding that he is not aware of the number of people arrested. 

Tehran Prosecutor Abbas Jafari-Dolatabadi on Saturday announced the arrest of several people whom he said had been gathering classified information in strategic areas under the coverage of scientific and environmental projects. 

Asked about the reported suicide of an individual called Kavous Seyed-Emami, Jafari-Dolatabadi said in remarks carried by ILNA on Monday, “This person was one of those suspects and unfortunately committed suicide in prison since he knew that many confessions had been made against him and because of his own confessions.”

Seyed-Emami has been identified in the media as an environmental activist and university professor specialized in sociology. 

  Foreign Intelligence Agencies 

Judiciary Spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei told the same news agency in an interview published on Monday that the case is being looked into and more details will be announced after the completion of the investigation.  

“A number of people were arrested over the past days on charges of providing classified information collected from sensitive centers to foreign intelligence services, including those of the Zionist regime and the United States, and some of them are still in custody,” he said. 

Asked about Seyed-Emami, the official said, “I have heard that he has committed suicide, but I am not aware of the details.” 

The person in question was among the detainees and his death is being investigated, he added. 

Gholamhossein Esmaeili, head of Tehran’s Justice Department, also told ILNA on Sunday that more arrests may be made in connection with the espionage case.

“A group of those who gathered information and handed it over to foreigners have been identified. Some of them were arrested, and some others may be arrested in the future. The case is in the initial stage, and the details cannot be released.” 

  Call for Clarification

A number of scientific organizations in Iran have sent a letter to President Hassan Rouhani, calling for circumstances surrounding Seyed-Emami’s death to be clarified. 

“Scientific organizations … expect officials in charge to address people’s concerns, especially those of the country’s scientific community, about this bitter and irreversible incident,” read the letter published on Sunday, IRNA reported.