January 27th, 2021

Jamshid Shahrmahd

Jamshid Shahrmahd, a 65 year old legal United States resident and German-Iranian citizen, was kidnapped by the Islamic Republic of Iran in late July 2020 and has been illegally detained since then. Jamshid Shahrmahd and his family have been legal U.S. residents since 2003 and they currently reside in the state of California. Jamshid, owner of a software company, was traveling to India for a business trip prior to his arrest. Due to strict restrictions imposed on travel caused by the coronavirus pandemic, he had to travel back to the states through Dubai. His family was tracking his travels and touching base with him up until they lost all contact in late July. The last video call connecting Jamshid to his family was placed on July 28, 2020. After that, Jamshid went silent and no longer responded to his family's text messages or phone calls. On August 1, 2020, he appeared blindfolded in a video clip which was aired on Iran’s state-controlled television. The Islamic Republic of Iran admitted to his capture, and the family was informed through the media.

Iranian officials claimed Jamshid’s detainment was a consequence of him speaking out against the Iranian regime. Alongside owning a software company, Jamshid was a journalist that spoke out against the corruption and unjust actions occurring under the Iranian regime. The Iranian government charged him with being a “terrorist” to their country however they do not have any solid evidence to back up their claims. He was denied a lawyer and a proper judicial process when he was first captured. This arrest highlights Iran’s determination to silence anyone that dares to speak out against their tyrannical regime.

Throughout this ongoing traumatic experience, Jamshid’s family does not know if they will ever see their loved one alive again. His daughter, Gazelle, explained to us how her father suffers from an advanced stage of Parkinson’s disease which requires timely medication. He has now been in detention for almost 6 months and the family has only been allowed to speak with him 4 times. Gazelle explained how the phone calls have been brief and they were unable to detail his location or how he is being treated. Interrogators could also be heard in the background of the phone calls and so the family fears he is being scripted. The family has hired a lawyer in Iran who has tirelessly tried to get in contact with Jamshid but has been unsuccessful. Guards at the Tehran prison denied the lawyer access and falsely claimed that Jamshid was not detained in that location. Even after it was determined that he was in fact at the Tehran prison, neither the lawyer nor the German Embassy were able to gain access to see or speak with him. 

No one has seen Jamshid physically since his capture and he already suffers from a critical health condition that can lead to death if not properly medicated. His family is under constant worry and has been suffering emotionally and financially. Jamshid is the main breadwinner of the family, and so his wife is trying helplessly to make ends meet. The family has set up a GoFundMe page which is linked here.