Maciej Walczak

Maciej Walczak is a Polish citizen and a professor at Copernicus University who is imprisoned in Iran. He has been sentenced to three years in prison on the charge of collusion with enemy states.

• <coverage-outsourcing id='40823'> <reference source='https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-62093002'> Maciej Walczak was arrested around this time in Kerman. According to a BBC Persian report, he was arrested along with two other Polish professors in Kerman; the other professors were later released, and Mr. Walczak was transferred to the IRGC 1-Alef detention in the east of Tehran. A former prisoner who was in 1-Alef detention with Maciej Walczak told BBC Persian that Mr. Walczak was being interrogated two to three times a day and was denied phone calls with family. This former prisoner told BBC Persian that the interrogator took Mr. Walczak’s home address and in the next interrogation session showed a picture of his house to him, which led to his panic and illness. The prisoner also told BBC Persian that in the 1-Alef ward Iranian citizens had access to TV and books, but Maciej Walczak was denied books and notebooks, and even a pen, and this had a terrible effect on his morale. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='40824'> <reference source='https://www.bbc.com/persian/iran-62093002'> According to BBC Persian, the Polish Foreign Ministry confirmed the arrest of a Polish citizen in Iran without mentioning Maciej Walczak’s name. The spokesperson for Copernicus University where Maciej Walczak worked also confirmed his arrest in Iran in an interview with BBC Persian and said he has been sentenced to three years in prison. BBC Persian added that Iran’s state TV (IRIB) has reported that Mr. Walczak was arrested along with three other foreign citizens in Iran after “taking samples from the soil in Kerman desert which was the site of missile tests.” BBC Persian reported that IRIB has presented the content of Maciej Walczak’s WhatsApp as evidence of his espionage, while BBC Persian’s analysis of the messages shows them to be friendly messages with colleagues. According to BBC Persian, a source close to Maciej Walczak’s family said there is a “discussion of a prisoner exchange between Tehran and Warsaw” and Iran will probably suggest “the release of its citizens in other European countries.” HRANA also reported that Maciej Walczak has been sentenced to three years in prison for “collusion with enemy states” and is currently being held in Evin Prison. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>