In a landmark ruling, Sweden’s Supreme Court has upheld the life sentence of former Iranian prison official Hamid Noury, who was convicted for his role in the 1988 massacre of political prisoners within Iran’s prison system. Noury‘s conviction, pronounced by a Swedish district court in July 2022, stems from grave violations of international humanitarian law and murder committed during the harrowing events of that summer.

Arrested at a Stockholm airport in November 2019, Noury was tried under Sweden’s principle of universal jurisdiction, allowing prosecution for grave offenses regardless of where they occurred. Despite his persistent denial of the charges, the appeals court affirmed the initial verdict in December 2023.

The case highlights broader accusations against senior Iranian officials, including current President Ebrahim Raisi, for their alleged involvement in orchestrating the 1988 massacre. Sweden’s Supreme Court’s refusal to entertain Noury’s appeal underscores the nation’s commitment to confronting impunity for human rights violations and upholding international law.

Meanwhile, families of the victims have raised concerns about the regime’s attempts to destroy mass graves, where thousands of political prisoners were executed and buried under the orders of Ruhollah Khomeini. Despite efforts to erase their existence, survivor testimonies and estimates suggest at least 30,000 were killed, with Raisi implicated as one of the main perpetrators.

Hamid Noury, formerly known by the alias “Abbasi,” served as an assistant prosecutor at Gohardasht Prison during the summer of 1988. Though not as prominent as other figures, his involvement in specific crimes during that period has been established, leading to his conviction and sentencing by Swedish courts.