A Swiss citizen died in an Iranian prison after being arrested for espionage

A Swiss citizen arrested in Iran and accused of espionage has died in prison, according to Iranian state media.

The man was being held with another prisoner in a prison in the eastern city of Semnan when he “committed suicide” on Thursday, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

The judiciary-run Mizan news agency reported that prison officials immediately took steps to save the Swiss national’s life, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

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

“This morning, a Swiss national committed suicide in Semnan prison,” said a statement on the Mizan website attributed to Mohammad Sadegh Akbari, Semnan’s chief judge.

The statement added that he had been “arrested by Iranian security forces for espionage” and the case was “under investigation”.

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

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