The news took the Iranians by surprise, but also the international community. Iranian dissident Rouhollah Zam, a political refugee in France since 2012 before being kidnapped in Iraq, was executed on December 12, just four days after the Supreme Court announced his sentence confirmation. The 41-year-old has been tried for playing an important role in the anti-regime protests in the winter of 2017-2018, notably via his channel on the encrypted Telegram messaging system. Among the thirteen counts: ” corruption “, “Collaboration with an enemy country, the United States” and “Espionage for France and the Zionist state”, Israel, according to the jargon used in Iran.
Tehran protested against Europe and Iranian “unacceptable interference in internal affairs”
The European Union (EU) condemned a few hours later the execution in “The strongest terms” and recalled “Once again its irrevocable opposition to the use of the death penalty in all circumstances”. Paris also denounced the hanging of the Iranian opponent, calling it“Barbaric and unacceptable act”. On Sunday evening, a virtual conference on the topic of business between Europe and Iran, funded by the EU and organized with the Iranian labor ministry, supposed to open on Monday, was postponed after France and other partners withdrew from the event.
For its part, Iran summoned on Sunday the ambassadors of France and Germany, the country which holds the rotating presidency of the EU, to protest against Europe and “His unacceptable interference in internal affairs” Iranian. The Islamic Republic also attacked what it described as” indulgence “ which would prove “Some European countries (…) against elements propagating violence and perpetrating terrorist acts ” against Iran.
The execution of Rouhollah Zam is a paving stone in the pond after the election in November of Democrat Joe Biden to the American presidential election, which may herald a resumption of negotiations between Washington and Tehran. Mr. Biden has already hinted that he intends to reinstate the agreement on the nuclear issue, signed in 2015 with the international community, which Donald Trump left in 2018.
Rouhollah Zam lived as a political refugee in Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne), with his wife and two children. Subject to threats, he lived under the protection of the French security services.
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