“Seeing him in handcuffs is unimaginable”

It was in the spring of 2022 that the 33-year-old EU diplomat Johan Floderus was in Iran to visit friends, he was arrested and imprisoned. Since then he has been in the infamous Evin prison where prisoners are subjected to isolation, torture and cramped cells.

Floderus is accused of espionage, but there are many indications that he has become a pawn in a political game.

“Unbelievable”

A week ago, Floderus was in court. Close friend Isabella Tjäder has seen photos from the trial, and was touched by what she saw.

– It is terrible. Now, when I see pictures of him, I am very taken by it. It’s my friend. Suddenly he is in a situation like this. To see him in handcuffs in that situation is unimaginable.

She elaborates:

– He is pale, has lost weight, but most of all, I can see from his whole appearance that he is very tired. It doesn’t come as a surprise. He is in one of the world’s worst prisons. But it becomes tangible when you see it so clearly on his face.

Isabella herself has not been able to talk directly to Johan, but the family has had the opportunity to talk to him.

– The last time we spoke, they told us that Johan had been allowed to call on one occasion. Then he could do it without going on hunger strike, which he has done before. So it’s positive, says journalist Sara Recabarren, who has been in contact with the family.

Speculation about prisoner exchange

The case of Floderus is often linked to the high-profile trial of Iranian citizen Hamid Nouri. In 2022, Nouri was sentenced to life in prison for serious crimes against humanity following mass executions of political prisoners in Iran in 1988. Since then, there has been much speculation about a possible prisoner exchange.

– There is nothing new from Iran’s side. It has also been clear that they want to exchange prisoners with Sweden, says Recabarren, who has followed the development.

– In this case, they have been clear that they want Hamid Nouri home.

“Complex Case”

Isabella Tjäder has had some contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding Johan Floderus.

– It is an extremely complex case. That is what we have been told by the Foreign Ministry from the very beginning. They told Johan’s parents very early on that this will take time, but we could not imagine that it would take this long. It is hard to grasp that it has been so long.

Now Isabella thinks it is important to keep talking about Johan.

– To underline the importance of making it clear to Johan that we are here for Johan, and fight for him to come home.