The Swedish-Iranian researcher Ahmadreza Djalali has been imprisoned in Iran for eight years and felt abandoned when the Swedish citizens Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi had to leave in a prisoner exchange.
– You left me here helpless. Why not me after 3,000 days?, said Djalali in a video dedicated to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M), after the prisoner exchange.
Prisoner exchange between Sweden and Iran
Hear the parents tell about the tumultuous day when Johan Floderus was released
Johan Floderus about the 790 days in captivity in Iran
A little over a week ago, it came out that Ahmadreza Djalali is going on hunger strike in the Iranian prison.
The wife: “They have no explanations”
During Tuesday, Vida Mehranni, wife of imprisoned Ahmadreza Djalali, met Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M). She hoped to get an explanation as to why her husband is still in Iranian prison.
– They did not give good answers, they have no explanations, says Vida Mehranni.
– I asked what they have done and they kept repeating the same thing: “We are following his case closely”.
Vida Mehranni wanted to know why her husband’s case is special.
– Kristersson (M) says that Ahmadreza’s case is special, but they could not answer why. Kristersson should tell you why, she says.
Billström is said to have said during the meeting that he understood her feelings.
Billström: “Iran did not want to discuss”
When the government was asked why Ahmadreza Djalali was not included in the prisoner exchange, Billström said that the name was brought up but that Iran was not willing to discuss.
– The Iranian regime was not interested in discussing his name. They do not regard him as a Swedish citizen but as an Iranian citizen, Billström has previously told SVT.
Javascript must be enabled to play video
“You left me here helpless, why not me after 3,000 days?” – Hear Ahmedreza Djalali’s message to Ulf Kristersson (M) from inside Evin Prison in Iran. Photo: SVT