Joint statement from several universities on Ahmadreza Djalali
This weekend marks five years since KI alumnus, researcher, and Swedish citizen, Ahmadreza Djalali was arrested and imprisoned in connection with a lecture tour in Iran. After a trial that can only be considered a legal scandal, with fabricated accusations and with no real chance of defending himself, Djalali was sentenced to death.
The conditions in which he lives in prison, together with a lack of medical care, have led to a significant deterioration in his health. Constantly living with the threat of execution has also meant considerable psychological stress.
In the five years that have passed, public opinion in the outside world has increased considerably. Nobel laureates, colleagues from academia, the European Parliament, the UN, politicians, several governments, non-profit organizations such as Amnesty International and Scholars at Risk, and many individuals have protested against Iran's legal abuses against and treatment of Ahmadreza Djalali and acted in various ways to have him released.
On the occasion of the anniversary, Karolinska Institutet, together with two other universities where Ahmadreza Djalali has been active (Università del Piedmont Orientale in Italy and Vrije Universiteit Brussel in Belgium), have prepared a joint statement on Ahmadreza Djalali. The statement is to be sent to members of the European Parliament and national politicians in the three countries, among others, urging them to act to increase demands on Iran to release the imprisoned researcher.
The statement is published in Swedish and English on KI’s President Ole Petter Ottersen's blog.