Related Articles
Iran must halt planned executions and protect detainees accused of espionage from torture and ill-treatment, Amnesty International said Friday, warning of a surge in politically motivated death sentences following the escalation of hostilities with Israel.
Since June 13, Iranian authorities have arrested scores of people over alleged collaboration with Israel, executed one man, and publicly called for expedited trials and capital punishment. Amnesty said many detainees are at risk of torture, coerced confessions, and unfair trials.
“The authorities are weaponizing the death penalty to instill fear and assert control,” said Hussein Baoumi, Amnesty’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa. He said using executions in cases that do not involve intentional killing, such as espionage, violates international law.
Iran’s Supreme Council of National Security has said that actions perceived as supporting Israel—including sharing information, promoting dissent, or even improving Israel’s image—could be charged as “corruption on earth” or “enmity against God,” both capital offenses under Iranian law.
Amnesty expressed concern for at least eight individuals already on death row for similar charges, including Swedish-Iranian academic Ahmadreza Djalali. Others named include detainees held in prisons in Tehran, West Azerbaijan, Fars, and Alborz provinces. Amnesty said several of them were convicted in trials marred by forced confessions and torture.
The human rights group also criticized a bill recently fast-tracked by Iran’s parliament that would automatically make espionage punishable by death, removing prosecutorial requirements to prove broader acts of “corruption.”
Dozens of US military aircraft have been tracked flying toward the Middle East in recent days, as Washington weighs possible involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran, Sky News reported citing flight data.
Between Monday and Thursday, 52 US military planes were observed over the eastern Mediterranean, with 25 passing through Chania airport on the Greek island of Crete—an eightfold increase compared to early June.
The aircraft included transport, refueling, and reconnaissance planes. Forbes McKenzie, head of McKenzie Intelligence, said the activity suggests "the build-up of warfighting capability" in the region.
Additional fighter jets, including F-22 Raptors and F-35s, have also been reported, though their movements are typically not reflected in public tracking data.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned that any US involvement in the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel would be “very, very dangerous,” speaking to reporters Saturday in Istanbul.
He said Iran is open to a negotiated solution on its nuclear program but cannot engage in talks while “its people are under bombardment.” Araghchi accused the United States of being involved in the hostilities from the outset.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have arrested a German national, Marek Kaufmann, for alleged spying near restricted military and nuclear sites in Markazi province, state-owned Mehr News reported Friday.
Mehr released a video showing Kaufmann, described as a dual-national Jewish tourist cycling through the region, speaking after his detention. In the footage, he says he was aware he was near a military area and that taking photos or videos was not allowed. He adds that he sent his location to a friend. The video is heavily edited and does not include a clear confession.
Read more here.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have arrested a German national, Marek Kaufmann, for alleged spying near restricted military and nuclear sites in Markazi province, state-owned Mehr News reported Friday.
Mehr released a video showing Kaufmann, described as a dual-national Jewish tourist cycling through the region, speaking after his arrest. In the footage, he says he was aware he was near a military area and that taking photos or videos was not allowed. He adds that he sent his location to a friend. The video is heavily edited and does not include a clear confession.
At one point, Kaufmann says his Garmin device, a brand of smartwatch, told him to take a detour. Immediately after, the narrator says “someone was in charge of how he navigates” and alleges that he was receiving instructions from “American and Jewish commanders.” The narrator, Ameneh Sadat Zabihpour, was sanctioned by the United States in 2022 for working with Iranian intelligence agencies to produce forced confessions.
Iranian officials accuse Kaufmann of gathering intelligence on sensitive military sites, including missile silos, drone routes, and airbases. Mehr said he was detained by IRGC intelligence operatives in an area marked with warning signs.
Foreign detentions escalate amid Israel-Iran conflict
His arrest comes amid a broader wave of detentions targeting foreign nationals in Iran since the start of Israel’s strikes on Iran on June 13. In recent days, a European national was arrested in northwestern Iran for allegedly attempting to spy on sensitive areas, according to IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News.
In another case, Tasnim reported that two foreign nationals were detained in Karaj, west of Tehran, for allegedly working as Mossad agents. Authorities said the two had shared the locations of state media offices and a government official’s residence with a handler in Germany.
The rising number of detentions has triggered concern across Europe and the United States. A US State Department cable, reported by The Washington Post, cited unconfirmed reports of Americans being detained and noted that many US nationals faced delays and harassment while trying to leave Iran.
The US Virtual Embassy in Tehran has urged American citizens to depart immediately, warning that airspace closures and regional hostilities make conditions increasingly dangerous. While some land borders remain open, Washington has said it cannot ensure safe passage or offer evacuation support.
France has also condemned Iran’s detention of foreign nationals. In May, it announced plans to bring a case against Iran before the International Court of Justice over the prolonged imprisonment of two French citizens. French officials have described the detentions as politically motivated and part of a broader pattern of so-called “hostage diplomacy,” a charge Tehran denies.
