Johan Floderus

Johan Floderus, a citizen of Sweden and an employee of the EU, was arrested at Tehran airport while about to return home after a trip with his friends to Iran. Since 2019, he has been working as an Assistant Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration of the EU, and in 2021 he was transferred to the Foreign Action Service of the EU.

The arrest of Johan Floderus took place shortly after the Swedish judicial authorities, under the principle of universal jurisdiction, arrested Hamid Nouri, the former prosecutor assistant of Gohardasht prison, and sentenced him to life imprisonment on charges of being involved in "war crimes" and "intentional murder" during the mass execution of political prisoners in the summer of 1988. The detention of Johan Floderus was kept secret by the EU for more than a year until the New York Times first revealed the identity of this Swedish prisoner in September 2023. The New York Times wrote in its report that Floderus has become an "important piece" for Tehran to win points from the West. According to the New York Times, his arrest is part of an ongoing pattern that the Islamic Republic of Iran is using under the name of "hostage diplomacy". <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

• <coverage-outsourcing id='55250'> <reference source='https://www.freejohanfloderus.org/family-statement'> According to the family of Johan Flodros on the website they set up more than a year later to inform about him, Johan was arrested at Tehran airport and transferred to Evin prison while he was about to return home after a trip to Iran with his friends. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55304'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/mu98jm4z'> The Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic announced the arrest of a Swedish citizen on charges of espionage. The announcement stated that the individual had traveled to Iran several times as a tourist, but no information about his identity has been announced: > The Swedish suspect was put on the list of suspects by the counter-espionage department of the Ministry of Intelligence due to some suspicious behavior and connections in his several previous trips to Iran. He was always under the surveillance of elite agents from the moment he entered the country, all his movements, communications, and trips to different cities of the country (which were generally done outside of tourist destinations and procedures) until he left the borders of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The findings of the Ministry's anti-espionage department were that the Swedish accused, in all his previous trips, secretly and discreetly communicated with a number of European and non-European suspect elements who were under surveillance in Iran." > The Ministry of Intelligence claimed: Following the arrest of another European spy, the suspect in question re-entered the country a few months ago with the mission of obtaining information on how the identity of that other spy was revealed and the type and amount of information that had fallen into the intelligence net of this ministry. Like the time before, during the entire duration of his mission, his contacts with the mentioned parties were under the continuous surveillance of the Intelligence Ministry agents, and finally, with the completion of the documentation, he was arrested by the order of the judicial authority while leaving the country. The announcement also mentions this person's trips to Israel. The evidence indicates that the statement of the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic is regarding the arrest of Johan Floderus. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55251'> <reference source='https://www.freejohanfloderus.org/family-statement'> According to the information site about Johan Floderus, which was launched by his family more than a year after his arrest, due to the efforts of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs since the beginning of his arrest, the first consular meeting with Johan was established. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55252'> <reference source='https://www.freejohanfloderus.org/family-statement'> According to the information site about Johan Floderus, which was launched by his family more than a year after his arrest, he was not allowed to have any contact with his family during the first 10 months of his detention. In February 2023, Johan was allowed to have his first phone call with his family, and from this date on, he was able to make very short phone calls with his family once a month. According to the family of Johan Floderus, he was only allowed to make phone calls after several hunger strikes. These calls must be in English, which is strictly controlled and if "a mistake occurs," the call will be cut off immediately. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55253'> <reference source='https://www.freejohanfloderus.org/family-statement'> According to the family of Johan Floderus on their website, he was able to have a video call with them for the first time and only time. Johan's photo in this video call with his family has been published on his website. According to the report published on this site, Johan "begged" his family to do more for him to return home. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55255'> <reference source='https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/04/world/europe/iran-sweden-prisoners-johan-floderus.html'> The incarceration of Johan Floderus was kept secret by the EU for more than a year until the New York Times first revealed the identity of this Swedish prisoner in September 2023. The New York Times wrote in its report that Floderus has become an "important piece" for Tehran to win points from the West. According to the New York Times, his arrest is part of an ongoing pattern that the Islamic Republic of Iran is using under the name of "hostage diplomacy". After Johan's arrest was revealed by the New York Times, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement announcing that the ministry and the country's embassy in Tehran are working hard on this case, and the Swedish government is in close contact with the European Union. At the same time, Sweden's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it would refrain from speaking publicly about its actions in order to "remain confidential" and "not to complicate the handling of the case". </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55254'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/2s34dvz2'> According to Deutsche Welle Farsi, during the informal meeting of EU development ministers in Cadiz, Spain, EU foreign policy chairman Josep Borrell confirmed the news of the arrest of Johan Floderus in Iran. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55249'> <reference source='https://www.freejohanfloderus.org/family-statement'> On the 33rd anniversary of Johan's birthday and the 500th day of his detention, his family launched a website to provide information about Johan and an online campaign for his release. As stated on this website, Johan is kept in a cell with 24-hour light. The Floderus family considered this situation "unacceptable and a violation of the minimum standards of the United Nations for prisoners" and wrote that Johan needs adequate meals, walks in the open air, medical check-ups and many other things, none of which were observed in his case. According to the writings of this website, he is allowed only three and a half hours of sunlight per week. The family of Johan Floderus added that Johan was in solitary confinement for "more than 300 days" in violation of international rules. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55301'> <reference source='https://apnews.com/article/sweden-iran-european-union-johan-floderus-50bc0ca39cfb8bffb243301135ca2bac'> EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson told The Associated Press that Floderus, who has been in detention for more than 500 days, had been in her cabinet for almost two years, but had applied to work for the EU delegation in Afghanistan before being detained in Iran. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55302'> <reference source='https://www.amnesty.de/informieren/aktuell/iran-schwedischer-staatsbuerger-johan-floderus-freilassen'> Amnesty International called on the Islamic Republic of Iran to immediately release Johan Floderus. In this statement, Amnesty asked the Islamic Republic to immediately stop the mistreatment and torture of Flodros, provide him with the possibility of telephone contact with his family and the Swedish diplomatic system, and allow him to have a lawyer chosen by him. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55303'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/2e9fnw8s'> According to Mizan, the official news agency of the Judiciary, Masoud Setayeshi, the spokesman of the Judiciary, said in a press conference regarding the latest status of the Johan Floderus case: > The case leading to the issuance of an indictment has been sent to a competent court. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55305'> <reference source='https://www.radiofarda.com/a/sweden-demands-release-of-eu-official-held-in-iran/32678177.html'> The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden announced that the government of this country demands the immediate release of Johan Floderus. According to the report of Radio Farda, this ministry wrote that it is working with the Swedish Embassy in Tehran for his release and to improve his prison conditions. Sweden has described the detention of this citizen as "arbitrary". </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55308'> <reference source='https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/08/escalate-efforts-release-swedish-citizen-iran'> Human Rights Watch published a statement on the occasion of the 600th day of Johan Floderus's detention, demanding his immediate release. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55306'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/bp9thnjs'> The first hearing of Johan Floderus's case was held in Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court under the chairmanship of Judge Iman Afshari. Mizan, the official news agency of the Judiciary, while announcing this news, wrote that in this court session, the prosecutor's representative read an indictment with accusations attributed to Johan Floderus for "spreading corruption in the land, extensive actions against the country's security with extensive intelligence cooperation with Israel." The prosecutor's representative discussed Johan Floderus' relationship with Israel and claimed that he was active in the field of gathering information for the benefit of Israel in the form of "subversive projects centered on known American, Israeli, and European institutions" against the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to the prosecutor's representative, Floderus had a network of connections with the "agents and elements" of the European Union and representatives related to the "MKO terrorist group". Mizan News Agency has also published pictures of this court session. At the same time, EU foreign policy official Josep Borrell and other European and Swedish officials called for the immediate release of Johan Floderus from prison in Iran. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55309'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/48zn3n5s'> The second hearing of the Johan Floderus case was held in the 26th branch of the Revolutionary Court under the chairmanship of Judge Afshari. According to Mizan, the official news agency of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic, during this meeting, which was held in the presence of the judges, the prosecutor's representative, the defendant's lawyers, the official translator, and the Swedish Embassy's charge d'affaires, Mr. Floderus defended himself against the accusations of "spreading corruption on earth through actions against the security of the country and Espionage." According to this report, Floderus stated that he does not accept the charges against him and said: > The issued indictment has a general nature and has no direct connection with me. It's mostly about my employers. The second trial session of Johan Floderus was held just one day after the Swedish Court of Appeal announced the verdict and confirmed the sentence of life imprisonment for Hamid Nouri, the former prosecutor of Gohardasht prison accused of participating in the mass execution of political prisoners in the 1980s. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55310'> <reference source='https://x.com/free_JohanF/status/1740039828480168332?s=20'> Johan Floderus' freedom support group wrote on X social network that after a 72-hour hunger strike, he managed to get permission to call this group. "Although he appeared to be in good spirits, the effects of fatigue and hunger were evident in his voice and he was saddened that he would not be able to spend Christmas with his family," the group wrote in its message about the phone call to Johan Flodros. This message states that Johan "is kept in the same harsh conditions, that is, in a small shared cell with three other people who have to sleep there without a mattress and under a light that is on 24 hours a day, and their contact with the outside world is very limited." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55311'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/4ytavfsy'> The fourth hearing session on the charges against Johan Floderus was held. According to the report of Mizan, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic's Judiciary, the prosecutor's representative raised questions referring to the statements of Mr. Floderus in the past sessions about not accepting the charges against him. In the report, it is stated that these questions are about Mr. Floderus' communications with the Ministry of Defense and the Swedish Army, "documented" emails from his mobile phone, his trips to Iran and his meetings with the intelligence agents of the embassies of several European countries, and his intention from learning Persian. The prosecutor's representative claimed in this meeting that they have no intention to file a new charge against Johan FloderUs and re-interrogate him. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55312'> <reference source='http://tinyurl.com/ye2u5ajp'> The fifth and last hearing session of Johan Floderus's charges was held. According to Mizan, the Judiciary's news agency, the prosecutor's representative in this session claimed that Floderus's actions "were very extensive regarding the information that he transferred abroad" and that he had "connections" with Israel, and demanded "punishment and maximum sentence" for him. Based on this report, Johan Floderus entrusted his defense to his lawyers. One of the lawyers, while making "statements about the accusations", announced that he would present a "detailed defense in a bill" to the court, for which they have one week. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55313'> <reference source='https://www.dn.se/sverige/johan-floderus-foraldrar-vill-tomma-verktygsladan-for-att-fa-hem-sonen/'> In an interview with a Swedish newspaper, the parents of Johan Floderus asked the Stockholm authorities to use all available tools to free their child, even if this tool is the "exchange of Johan with Hamid Nouri". </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55378'> <reference source='https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxjy4b/johan-floderus-diplomat-iran-death-sentence'> Johan's sister Ingrid announced in an interview with Vice News that the family talks with her brother almost every day. According to Ms. Floderus, Johan loves freedom and is full of life and tries to remain strong despite the prison conditions. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='55608'> <reference source='https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/09/family-johan-floderus-imprisoned-iran-fear-death-penalty-verdict-sweden-eu'> In an interview with the Guardian newspaper, Ingrid, Johan Floderus' sister, while expressing her concern about her brother's physical and mental condition in prison, asked the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to do everything in its power to get him released. Emphasizing her brother's innocence, Ingrid Floderus said her family believes he was "used as a pawn in a political game." </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='60552'> <reference source='https://tinyurl.com/4xcyfcv2'> Johan Floderus and Saeed Azizi were released during the exchange of prisoners between Iran and Sweden. According to IranWire, the Swedish government exchanged Hamid Nouri, the former assistant prosecutor of Gohardasht prison and one of the people involved in the mass execution of political prisoners in the 1980s, who was sentenced to life imprisonment by the verdict of the Stockholm Supreme Court, with Saeed Azizi and Johan Floderus, who were imprisoned in Iran. According to this report, Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Kristerson pointed out that the two were detained "without reason", adding: > The Swedish government has worked hard for their release. "Today they will land in Sweden and join their family members and loved ones. In this report, it is stated that the exchange of prisoners between Iran and Sweden has taken place with the mediation of the country of Oman, and the prisoners of both sides have been transferred from Tehran and Stockholm to Muscat. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>