A Swiss national arrested in Iran on spying charges has died in prison, according to Iranian state media.
Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said the man “committed suicide” on Thursday while being held with other prisoners in a prison in the eastern city of Semnan.
The judiciary-run Mizan news agency said prison officials took immediate action to save the Swiss citizen’s life, but their efforts were not successful.
Mizan did not provide any further details about the man’s identity.
“This morning, a Swiss citizen committed suicide in Semnan prison,” Semnan’s chief justice, Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, said in a statement posted on the Mizan website.
He was “arrested by Iranian security forces on suspicion of espionage,” the statement said, adding that “the case is under investigation.”
The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed the death and added that its embassy was in contact with Iranian authorities.
In recent years, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have arrested dozens of dual nationals and foreigners, mainly on espionage and security-related charges.
Switzerland serves as an important intermediary between Washington and Tehran, representing U.S. interests in Iran and sharing messages between the two countries.
