A Swiss national dies in an Iranian prison after being arrested for espionage

A Swiss man arrested in Iran and suspected of being a spy has died in prison, according to Iranian state media.

The suspect was being held with another prisoner in a prison in the eastern city of Semnan when he “suicided himself” on Thursday, Iran’s Tasnim News Agency said.

The justice organization Mizan News Agency said prison officials took immediate action to save the Swiss citizen’s life, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

Mizan did not provide any further details about the man’s identity.

“This morning, a Swiss citizen committed suicide in Semnan prison,” said a statement on Mizan’s website, written by Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, Semnan’s chief judge.

The statement added that he was “arrested by Iran’s security forces for espionage” and that the case was “under investigation”.

The Swiss Foreign Ministry confirmed the death, adding that its embassy was in contact with Iranian authorities.

In recent years, Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards have arrested dozens of foreign nationals, mostly on espionage and security-related charges.

Switzerland plays an important mediating role between Washington and Tehran as it represents American interests in Iran and shares messages between the two countries.