Official statements from Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs or Iranian government announcements

Swiss National Dies by Suicide in Semnan Prison on Thursday Amid Espionage Charges

Jan 9, 2025, 04:48 PM

A Swiss national, arrested on espionage charges, has died by suicide in Semnan prison in Iran's Semnan province, according to Mohammad Sadeq Akbari, the chief justice of the province. The incident occurred on Thursday, and the prisoner was being held in a cell with another inmate. The Swiss citizen had asked his cellmate to fetch food from the prison buffet, and during the time he was left alone, he took his own life. Efforts by prison officials to save him were unsuccessful. The Iranian judiciary has confirmed that all evidence from the detention location has been reviewed and the death has been determined to be a suicide. Switzerland's Federal Department of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the death and stated that the Swiss Embassy in Tehran is in contact with local authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident.