The Islamic Republic of Iran has, since its early years and the Iran hostage crisis, engaged it repeated dubious detention of foreign or dual nationals. [1] This occurred for extended period, with long documented history of using the detained party as a bargaining piece in larger diplomatic negotiations. [2] The list below of current and former detainees in Iran excludes people abducted in other countries and brought into the country.[ why? ]
Since the Iran hostage crisis, the Islamic Republic of Iran has engaged in a pattern of detaining foreign nationals for extended periods. [1] According to the Center for Human Rights in Iran, the Iranian government has used imprisoned dual and foreign-only nationals "as bargaining chips in its dealings with other nations." [3] Iran's repeated dubious detention of dual citizen and thereafter bargaining behavior have lead observers to qualify the practice as a case of hostage diplomacy, with a long documented history. [2]
Dual nationals of Iran and another country are particularly vulnerable to arbitrary detention because the international Master Nationality Rule provides that "a State may not afford diplomatic protection to one of its nationals against a state whose nationality such person also possesses". [4]
According to Human Rights Watch, "Iranian authorities have violated detainees' due process rights and carried out a pattern of politically motivated arrests." [5] In November 2017, Reuters reported that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had arrested "at least 30 dual nationals during the past two years, mostly on spying charges." [6]
In September 2019, on the sidelines of the Seventy-fourth session of the United Nations General Assembly, families of dual and foreign nationals imprisoned in Iran as well former dual and foreign nationals imprisoned in Iran launched the "Alliance of Families Against State Hostage Taking." [7] [8] [9]
In January 2023, France called for the release of seven nationals, who were held in Iran. One of the detainees, Fariba Adelkhak was arrested in June 2019, along with her colleague Roland Marchal. While Marchal was released in 2020, but Fraiban Adelkhak remained in prison amid mounting political tensions in Iran. [10]
Name | Detained | Citizenship | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nazak Afshar | 12 March 2016 | France | 3066 | [11] | ||
Ahmad Reza Jalali | 24 April 2016 | Sweden | 3023 | [12] [13] | ||
Abdolrasoul Dorri-Esfahani | August 2016 | Canada | ~2924 | In May 2017, convicted on espionage charges, including "collaborating with the British secret service," and sentenced to five years in prison. | [14] | |
Jamshid Sharmahd | July 2020 | Germany | 1467 | U.S. permanent resident. Sentenced to death February 2023. | [15] | |
Nahid Taghavi | 16 October 2020 | Germany | [16] | |||
Mehran Raoof | 16 October 2020 | UK | [17] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masoud Jamali Ashtiani | 20 May 2012 | 20 May 2013 | 365 | propaganda against the regime | 41 days in solidarity confinement | [ citation needed ] |
Emad Shargi | 30 November 2020 | 18 September 2023 | 1022 | Espionage / Spying | Member of [18] in exchange for 5 U.S. prisoners and unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian assets. Had been sentenced to 10 years in January 2021. Had previously been cleared in December 2019. (Iranian national who also holds US citizenship.) | [19] [20] [18] |
Michael White | July 2018 | 19 March 2020 | ~2225 | [11] | ||
Morad Tahbaz | January 2018 | 18 September 2023 | ~2086 | Conspiring with America | Member of group of 5 released in Sept 2023 in exchange for 5 U.S. prisoners and unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian assets. (Iranian national who also holds US and UK citizenship.) | [21] [22] [18] |
Xiyue Wang | 8 August 2016 | 7 December 2019 | 1216 | [23] | ||
Gholamreza (Reza) "Robin" Shahini | 11 July 2016 | 21 March 2017 | 253 | [24] | ||
Karan Vafadari | 20 July 2016 | 21 July 2018 | 731 | Released on bail but reportedly has not been permitted to leave Iran. | [25] [26] [22] | |
Baquer Namazi | 22 February 2016 | 1 October 2022 | 3085 | Released during the Mahsa Amini protests | [27] [28] | |
Siamak Namazi | 13 October 2015 | 18 September 2023 | 2895 | spying | Member of group of 5 released in Sept 2023 in exchange for 5 U.S. prisoners and unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian assets. (Iranian national who also holds US citizenship.) | [29] [30] [22] [18] |
Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari | May 2015 | 16 January 2016 | ~260 | [31] | ||
Matthew Trevithick | 7 December 2015 | 16 January 2016 | 39 | [32] | ||
Jason Rezaian | 22 July 2014 | 16 January 2016 | 543 | [33] [34] | ||
Saeed Abedini | 28 July 2012 | 16 January 2016 | 1277 | [34] [35] | ||
Afsaneh Azadeh | 13 May 2012 | September 2012 | ~111 | Azadeh was released from detention to house arrest from September 2012 – November 2012. She was not permitted to leave the country until May 2013. | [36] | |
Amir Hekmati | 29 August 2011 | 16 January 2016 | 1601 | [34] [37] | ||
Joshua Fattal | 31 July 2009 | 21 September 2011 | 782 | |||
Shane Bauer | 31 July 2009 | 21 September 2011 | 782 | |||
Sarah Shourd | 31 July 2009 | 14 September 2010 | 410 | |||
Roxana Saberi | 31 January 2009 | 11 May 2009 | 100 | [38] | ||
Esha Momeni | 15 October 2008 | 10 November 2008 | 26 | Momeni was released on bail in November 2008 but she was not permitted to leave Iran until August 2009. | [39] | |
Reza Taghavi | May 2008 | 16 October 2010 | ~898 | [40] | ||
Nik Moradi | 31 October 2007 | 15 April 2008 | 167 | [41] | ||
Kian Tajbakhsh | 11 May 2007 | 19 September 2007 | 140 | |||
Ali Shakeri | 8 May 2007 | 25 September 2007 | 140 | |||
Haleh Esfandiari | 8 May 2007 | 21 August 2007 | 105 | [42] [43] | ||
Robert Levinson (alleged) | 9 March 2007 | Presumed dead 25 March 2020 | >1333 (alleged) | U.S. agent working for the CIA who disappeared on Kish Island. Proof of life in captivity in an unknown location was received in November 2010, but Iran has never acknowledged his arrest or detention; he was presumed dead in March 2020. | [11] | |
Dariush Zahedi | 10 July 2003 | 9 November 2003 | 122 | [44] | ||
Daniel Baumann | 10 January 1997 | 16 March 1997 | 65 | Dual U.S.-Swiss citizen. Arrested with South African Stuart Timm. | [45] | |
Gerald Seib | 31 January 1987 | 4 February 1987 | 4 | Wall Street Journal reporter who had been visiting Iran with a group of journalists. | [46] | |
Jon Pattis | 16 June 1986 | October 1991 | ~1933 | Sentenced to 10 years in prison in 1987 for espionage. | [47] [48] | |
David Rabhan | 1980 | 6 August 1990 | ~3655 | [49] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Afshin Sheikholeslami Vatani | 27 June 2020 | In detention | 1498 | Released on bail in February 2019 but reportedly has not been permitted to leave Iran and then arrested again in 2020. | [50] | |
Afarin Neyssari | 20 July 2016 | 21 July 2018 | 731 | Released on bail but reportedly has not been permitted to leave Iran. | [25] [26] | |
Shahab Dalili | 20 March 2016 | In detention | 3058 | cooperating with a hostile government | U.S. permanent resident | [51] |
Jamshid Sharmahd | 1 August 2020 | In detention | 1463 | journalistic activity criticizing the Islamic regime for 16 years | German citizen and U.S. permanent resident. Jimmy was kidnapped on a business trip to India and taken to Iran. He has spent the entire detention at an unknown location, in solitary confinement and after what Amnesty International calls a sham trial condemned to death. | [52] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Cynthia Dwyer | 5 May 1980 | 10 February 1981 | 281 | Civilian. Freelance writer convicted on trumped-up charges of espionage and other crimes [54] |
Mohi Sobhani | 6 September 1980 | 4 February 1981 | 151 | Civilian [55] |
Thomas L. Ahern, Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Clair Cortland Barnes | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
William E. Belk | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Robert O. Blucker | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Donald J. Cooke | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
William J. Daugherty | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Robert Englemann | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
William Gallegos | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Bruce W. German | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Duane L. Gillette | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Alan B. Golacinski | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
John E. Graves | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Joseph M. Hall | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Kevin J. Hermening | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Donald R. Hohman | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Leland J. Holland | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Michael Howland | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Charles A. Jones, Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Malcolm K. Kalp | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Moorhead C. Kennedy Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
William F. Keough, Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Steven W. Kirtley | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Kathryn L. Koob | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Frederick Lee Kupke | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Bruce Laingen | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Steven Lauterbach | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Gary E. Lee | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Paul Edward Lewis | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
John Limbert | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
John D. McKeel, Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Michael J. Metrinko | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Jerry J. Miele | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Michael E. Moeller | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Bert C. Moore | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Richard Morefield | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Paul M. Needham, Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Robert C. Ode | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Gregory A. Persinger | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Jerry Plotkin | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | Civilian |
Regis Ragan | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
David M. Roeder | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Barry M. Rosen | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
William B. Royer, Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Thomas E. Schaefer | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Charles W. Scott | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Donald A. Sharer | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Rodney V. Sickmann | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Joseph Subic, Jr. | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Elizabeth Ann Swift | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Victor L. Tomseth | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Phillip R. Ward | 4 November 1979 | 20 January 1981 | 444 | |
Richard Queen | 4 November 1979 | 11 July 1980 | 250 | |
Wesley Williams | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Joan Walsh | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
David Walker | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Joseph Vincent | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Terri Tedford | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Neal Robinson | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Lloyd Rollins | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Elizabeth Montagne | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Lillian Johnson | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
James Hughes | 4 November 1979 | 20 November 1979 | 16 | |
Kathy Gross | 4 November 1979 | 19 November 1979 | 15 | |
Ladell Maples | 4 November 1979 | 19 November 1979 | 15 | |
William Quarles | 4 November 1979 | 19 November 1979 | 15 |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mehran Raoof | 16 October 2020 | In detention | 1387 | [17] | ||
Kameel Ahmady | 11 August 2019 | 17 November 2019 | 1819 | Released on bail. Fled the Regime [56] | [11] [57] | |
Abbas Edalat | 15 April 2018 | December 2018 | ~230 | |||
Morad Tahbaz | January 2018 | 18 September 2023 | ~2086 | Conspiring with America | Member of group of 5 released in Sept 2023 in exchange for 5 U.S. prisoners and unfreezing of $6 billion in Iranian assets. (Iranian national who also holds US and UK citizenship.) | [3] [18] |
Anoush Ashoori | August 2017 | 16 March 2022 | ~2559 | Convicted of spying for Israel's Mossad and sentenced to 12 years in prison. | [11] | |
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe | 3 April 2016 | 17 March 2020 (parole within 300 metres of house) 16 March 2022 | 2173 (part parole) | Sentenced to 5 years for ‘plotting to topple the Iranian government’. | Iran (birth)/UK (2013) dual citizen | [58] [59] [60] |
Kamal Foroughi | 5 May 2011 | 1 April 2020 | 3284 | [61] | ||
Ghoncheh Ghavami | 20 June 2014 | 23 November 2014 | 156 | [62] | ||
Roya Saberi Negad Nobakht | October 2013 | 25 August 2017 | ~1424 | Subject to travel ban after release. Unclear if she has been permitted to depart Iran. | [11] [63] | |
Andrew Barber | 21 June 2010 | 18 August 2010 | 58 | [64] | ||
Iason Athanasiadis | 17 June 2009 | 5 July 2009 | 18 | Also holds Greek citizenship. | [65] [66] | |
Roger Cooper | 7 December 1985 | 1 April 1991 | 1941 | [67] | ||
Frank Skinner | 27 April 1981 | 13 April 1982 | 351 | Flight engineer for Iran Air held without charge. | [68] [69] | |
Andrew Pyke | 27 August 1980 | 28 January 1982 | 519 | British businessman who worked for Dutch-Iranian helicopter firm, accused of spying but was never charged. | [68] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aras Amiri | 14 March 2018 | 16 August 2021 | 2334 | Sentenced to 10 years in prison for spying. | [70] | ||
Ana Diamond | 10 January 2016 | January 2018 | 722 | Arbitrary detention, falsely accused of espionage for "MI6, CIA, Mossad, and others." | UK Permanent Resident at the time of arrest, as well as British naturalisation application in place. Subjected to travel ban shortly after her arrival in Iran in August 2014, ~500-days before her arrest in January 2016. Travel ban imposed again following her release from Evin prison on bail in August 2016. Acquitted of all charges and travel ban lifted in 2018. | [71] [72] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kavous Seyed-Emami | 24 January 2018 | 8 February 2018 | 15 | Died in custody under suspicious circumstances. Authorities say he committed suicide. | [21] [73] | |
Abdolrasoul Dorri-Esfahani | August 2016 | In detention | ~2924 | In May 2017, convicted on espionage charges, including "collaborating with the British secret service," and sentenced to five years in prison. | [14] | |
Homa Hoodfar | 6 June 2016 | 26 September 2016 | 112 | Undisclosed "security" charges | Before arrest, had been prevented from leaving country from March 2016. | [74] |
Maziar Bahari | 21 June 2009 | 17 October 2009 | 118 | [75] | ||
Hossein Derakhshan | 1 November 2008 | 19 November 2014 | 2209 | Sentenced to 19.5 years on "several national security, obscenity and religious insult charges in connection with his online activism." | [76] | |
Hamid Ghassemi-Shall | 24 May 2008 | 23 September 2013 | 1948 | [77] | ||
Zahra Kazemi | 23 June 2003 | 10 July 2003 | 17 | Died in custody as a result of torture. | [78] | |
Ramin Jahanbegloo | 27 April 2006 | 30 August 2006 | 125 | Plotting a "velvet revolution" | [79] | |
Philip Engs | 3 December 1986 | 8 February 1987 | 67 | Manager of oil services company, held in solitary confinement and interrogated at Evin Prison on ““Suspicion of espionage”’, never formally charged, and then released unharmed. | Concessions were made by his employer on their contract for services with NIOC while he was detained. | [80] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saeed Malekpour | 4 October 2008 | ~August 2019 | ~3953 | Escaped Iran while on furlough from prison. | [81] [82] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jolie King | ~1 July 2019 | ~5 October 2019 | ~96 | Also holds British citizenship. | [11] [83] | |
Mark Firkin | ~1 July 2019 | ~5 October 2019 | ~96 | [11] [83] | ||
Meimanat Hosseini-Chavoshi | December 2018 | ~27 January 2019 | ~57 | Iranian authorities have reportedly prevented her from leaving the country. | [84] [85] | |
Kylie Moore-Gilbert | September 2018 | November 2020 | ~792 | Espionage | Also holds British citizenship. | [86] [87] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Topher Richwhite | ~9 July 2022 | ~27 October 2022 | ~110 | Well-known New Zealand citizen from Expedition Earth. | [88] | |
Bridget Thackwray | ~9 July 2022 | ~27 October 2022 | ~110 | Well-known New Zealand citizen from Expedition Earth. | [89] | |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nizar Zakka | 15 September 2015 | 11 June 2019 | 1395 | Permanent resident of the U.S. at time of arrest. | [11] | |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fariba Adelkhah | ~5 June 2019 | ~October 2023 | ~1579 | [90] [91] | ||
Nazak Afshar | 12 March 2016 | In detention | 3066 | [11] | ||
Benjamin Brière | 26 May 2020 | 12 May 2023 | 1530 | spying and propaganda, for flying a drone in an unauthorised area and making social media posts concerning Iranian law | [92] [93] | |
Nelly Erin-Cambervelle | 21 October 2018 | ~21 February 2019 | ~123 | "signing an illegal mining contract and carrying out an unauthorized trip" | Erin-Cambervelle is a businesswoman from the French Caribbean island of Martinique. | [94] |
Stéphane Lherbier | 29 November 2005 | 25 February 2007 | 453 | Detained with German Donald Klein. | [95] | |
Roland Marchal | ~June 2019 | 20 March 2020 | ~1890 | [96] | ||
Bernard Phelan | 3 October 2022 | 12 May 2023 | 221 | Providing information to an enemy country | French-Irish. Sentenced to 6.5 years in February 2023. Had previously been sentenced to 3.5 years, and told he would be pardoned. | [97] [93] |
Clotilde Reiss | 1 July 2009 | 16 May 2010 | 319 | |||
Cécile Kohler | 1 May 2022 | ~825 | "attempting to incite unrest and helping teachers strike in Iran" | [98] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ruhollah Zam | ~11 October 2019 | Executed | ~1758 | Journalist, host of a 1.4 million follower Telegram chanel covering the 2017–2018 Iranian protests. | [99] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Helmut Szimkus | January 1989 | 14 June 1994 | ~1776 | [100] [101] | ||
Helmut Hofer | September 1997 | January 2000 | 852 | Initially sentenced to death for having illicit sexual relations with an Iranian woman. | [102] [103] | |
Donald Klein | 29 November 2005 | 12 March 2007 | 468 | [95] [104] | ||
Marcus Hellwig | 10 October 2010 | 19 February 2011 | 132 | [105] | ||
Jens Koch | 10 October 2010 | 19 February 2011 | 132 | [105] | ||
Jamshid Sharmahd | July 2020 | In detention | 1463 | Journalistic activity criticizing the Islamic regime for 16 years | German citizen and US national. Jimmy was kidnapped on a business trip to India and taken to Iran. He has spent the entire detention at an unknown location, in solitary confinement and after what Amnesty International calls a sham trial condemned to death. | [15] [106] |
Nahid Taghavi | 12 October 2020 | In detention | 1391 | on 4 June 2023, Marges Mohammadi (also detained in Iran) wrote on Instagram that Taghavi's state of health is so bad that her life is in danger. [107] | [108] | |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Massud Mossaheb | January 2019 | In detention | ~2041 | [109] | ||
Kamran Ghaderi | 2 January 2016 | In detention | 3136 | [11] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yulia Yuzik | 2 October 2019 | 10 October 2019 | 8 | [110] | ||
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sabri Hassanpour | 19 April 2016 | May 2018 | [111] [112] | |||
Zahra Bahrami | 27 December 2009 | Executed | 398 | Arrested while participating in the 2009 Ashura protests. Charged with the capital crime of drug trafficking. Executed by hanging on 29 January 2011. | [113] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ahmad Reza Jalali | 24 April 2016 | In detention | 3023 | [114] [115] | ||
Habib Chaab | ~October 2020 | Executed | ~947 | Death sentence upheld by Iranian supreme court March 2023. | [116] | |
Johan Floderus | 17 April 2023 | 15 June 2024 | 425 | [117] [118] | ||
Stefan Johansson | 26 February 2006 | 16 April 2007 | 414 | Convicted for espionage and sentenced to 3 years in prison. | [119] | |
Jari Hjortmar | 26 February 2006 | 16 April 2007 | 414 | Convicted for espionage and sentenced to 3 years in prison. | [119] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ana Diamond | 10 January 2016 | January 2018 | ~722 | Arbitrary detention, later falsely accused of espionage for "MI6, CIA, Mossad, and others." | UK Permanent Resident at the time of arrest, as well as British naturalisation application in place. Subjected to travel ban shortly after her arrival in Iran in August 2014, ~500-days before her arrest in January 2016. Travel ban imposed again following her release from Evin prison on bail in August 2016. Acquitted of all charges in 2017 and travel ban lifted in May 2018. | [120] [121] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Olivier Vandecasteele | February 2022 | Released on 26 May 2023 | ~914 | [122] | ||
Diego Mathieu | 16 September 2009 | 8 December 2009 | 83 | [123] | ||
Vincent Boon Falleur | 5 September 2009 | 8 December 2009 | 94 | [124] | ||
Idesbald van den Bosch | 5 September 2009 | 8 December 2009 | 94 | [124] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Silva Harotonian | 26 June 2008 | 10 March 2009 | 257 | Convicted of promoting a "soft" revolution in Iran on January 19, 2009, and sentenced to 3 years in prison. | At the time of her arrest, Harotonian was an administrative officer for a maternal and child health project in Tehran for International Research & Exchanges Board (IREX), a U.S. government-funded organization. | [125] |
Name | Detained | Released | Days in detention | Reason for detention | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stuart Timm | 10 January 1997 | 17 February 1997 | 38 | [45] |
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Ahmad Reza Djalali is an Iranian-Swedish disaster medicine doctor, lecturer, and researcher. He has worked in several universities in Europe, among which Karolinska University of Sweden, where he had also attended his PhD program, Università degli Studi del Piemonte Orientale (Italy), Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium). He also cooperated with universities in Iran and is in contact with universities worldwide.
Ana Diamond is an Iranian and British political commentator and human rights advocate who is one of the founding members of The Alliance Against State Hostage Taking. The organization was formally founded in New York on 24 September 2019.
Kylie Moore-Gilbert is an Australian-British academic in Middle Eastern political science. She was employed as a lecturer at the University of Melbourne's Asia Institute and has carried out research into contemporary political developments in the Middle East. The subject of her PhD research was post-Arab Spring Bahrain.
Morad Tahbaz is an Iranian-American businessman and conservationist. He was born in London and holds British citizenship. Tahbaz is a co-founder of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (PWHF). In January 2018, Iranian authorities arrested Tahbaz along with eight other PWHF-affiliated individuals.
Anoosheh Ashoori is a British–Iranian businessman formerly detained in Evin jail in Iran. Iranian authorities arrested Ashoori in August 2017, when he was in the country to visit his mother. In August 2019, the Iranian judiciary sentenced Ashoori to 12 years in prison; 10 years for allegedly "spying for Israel's Mossad" and two years for "acquiring illegitimate wealth", charges which Ashoori denies.
Emad Shargi is an Iranian-American businessman. On April 23, 2018, during a trip to Iran, Shargi and his wife were taken into custody by Iranian authorities and held in Evin prison. Emad Shargi was taken to a Tehran court on November 30, 2020, where he was informed that he had been convicted of espionage without a trial and sentenced to 10 years in prison. Iran does not recognize dual citizenship, depriving prisoners like Shargi of consular assistance and diplomatic access.
Jolie King, a British Australian, and Mark Firkin, an Australian, are a couple living in Perth, Australia. Online travel bloggers who have documented their experiences on social media since 2017, they are best known for being arrested in Iran in July 2019.
Olivier Vandecasteele is a Belgian humanitarian worker who was arbitrarily arrested in Iran on 24 February 2022. Following a sham trial, he was sentenced to 28 years in December 2022, then sentenced to 40 years in prison in January 2023. Vandecasteele was kept hostage in Iran for 455 days and was released on 26 May 2023. His case is considered to be "a flagrant violation of international law."