Flemish Parliament Calls on Iranian Ambassador Regarding Imprisoned Academic
The Foreign Policy Committee of the Flemish Parliament has invited the Iranian ambassador to provide information on the fate of Ahmadreza Djalali, the Iranian-Swedish professor who has been imprisoned in Iran since 2016, reports 24brussels.
Concerns regarding Djalali’s condition have intensified, as he has not been heard from in three months. The committee aims to obtain further insights into his situation, as expressed by parliament chair Freya Van den Bossche and committee chair Bogdan Vanden Berghe in a joint statement.
Djalali, a disaster medicine specialist associated with the Free University of Brussels (VUB), was apprehended during a work trip to Iran in April 2016. In 2017, he was sentenced to death on allegations of espionage and complicity in the murders of two Iranian nuclear scientists.
This year, Djalali suffered a heart attack while imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison. Following an Israeli bombing of the facility, he was relocated along with other inmates to the Greater Tehran Penitentiary, but he was subsequently taken away separately. Since June 23, 2025, he has been missing, with no information on his current location or health status.
Last week, the committee and Van den Bossche engaged in discussions with Djalali’s wife, Vida Mehrannia. In the aftermath of this meeting, the committee reached a unanimous decision to summon the Iranian ambassador for further clarification.
The situation surrounding Djalali highlights ongoing concerns about human rights and the treatment of detained individuals in Iran, warranting international attention and action.
