Iran’s execution of German-Iranian political scientist Jamshid Sharmahd has sparked condemnation and serious warnings from Germany, amplifying tensions over Iran’s human rights practices. The 69-year-old, a German citizen and U.S. resident, was sentenced to death on charges linked to a 2008 mosque bombing in Shiraz. His family, however, maintains his innocence, asserting that he was abducted by Iranian authorities while traveling in the UAE and subjected to a coerced show trial.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock responded strongly, calling the execution an example of Iran’s “inhumane regime.” She warned of “serious consequences,” saying it highlighted the dangers under the administration of Iran’s recently inaugurated President Masoud Pezeshkian. Baerbock added that Germany had been in continuous contact with Sharmahd’s family and that the German embassy in Tehran worked “tirelessly” on his case.
Mariam Claren, daughter of another German-Iranian detainee, criticized the German government, suggesting that Sharmahd’s execution might have been preventable with a firmer stance. Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam, head of Iran Human Rights, labeled the act a “hostage execution” intended to distract from Iran’s internal issues, describing Sharmahd’s abduction and trial as unlawful. Additionally, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights condemned Iran’s actions, calling the trial and execution emblematic of systemic human rights abuses by the Islamic Republic.
Iran’s judiciary website described Sharmahd as a “criminal terrorist,” accusing him of working with U.S. and European intelligence under their protection. Human rights organizations report that Iran has executed at least 627 individuals this year, making it the world’s second-most prolific user of capital punishment after China. European Parliament member Hannah Neumann urged the EU to reconsider its policy toward Tehran in light of this latest incident, emphasizing a need for reassessment amid ongoing detentions of other European nationals in Iran.