A Swiss citizen arrested in Iran on charges of espionage died by suicide in a prison in Semnan province on Thursday, according to Iranian state-affiliated media.
The individual, whose identity has not been disclosed, was detained in Semnan prison, approximately 190 kilometers (118 miles) east of Tehran. Iranian authorities and Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) have both confirmed the death.
The Swiss national had been arrested on charges of espionage, and his case was reportedly under review at the time of his death. Iranian authorities have not provided details about the allegations or disclosed evidence related to the charges.
The Swiss national reportedly took his own life after asking his cellmate to bring food from the prison buffet. Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, the chief justice of Semnan province, stated that the prisoner used the time he was left alone in his cell to commit suicide. Efforts by prison staff to save the detainee were unsuccessful.
“All evidence and documents from the place where this person was being held have been reviewed, and according to the documents, it is clear that he committed suicide,” Akbari said, as reported by the judiciary-affiliated Mizan Online news agency.
The Swiss Embassy in Tehran and the FDFA are in contact with Iranian authorities to clarify the circumstances surrounding the incident. Pierre-Alain Eltschinger, a spokesperson for the FDFA, stated that officials are providing assistance to the deceased’s relatives.
