Danish vlogger: 'My guilt over being traded in Iranian prisoner swap'

A Danish question vlogger was 1 of 4 Europeans released by Iran past period successful a captive swap. In an exclusive interview, Thomas Kjems has told the BBC what helium experienced successful detention and however helium feels guilt for being exchanged for an Iranian diplomat jailed successful Belgium implicit a weaponry plot.

It seemed similar wherever Thomas Kjems travelled past twelvemonth soon descended into struggle oregon crisis.

The 28-year-old embarked connected a hitchhiking escapade from Denmark to Ukraine successful January 2022. But soon aft helium arrived successful Ukraine the Russia penetration began.

He past decided to spell to Armenia, wherever his involvement was piqued by neighbouring Iran. That September, the Iranian embassy successful Yerevan gave him a tourer visa.

But his accomplishment successful Iran coincided with the decease successful custody of Mahsa "Zhina" Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish pistillate detained by morality constabulary for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic's strict formal code.

Her decease sparked nationwide protests, which Mr Kjems encountered successful astir each metropolis that helium visited.

"I had these rules to debar immoderate struggle and thing governmental successful Iran. I told myself: bash not spell adjacent subject sites oregon authorities buildings, bash not instrumentality photos of them oregon videos. And past I added that I shouldn't travel adjacent immoderate demonstrations," Mr Kjems told the BBC.

But helium did not evade the regard of Iranian information forces. In aboriginal October, quality agents arrested Mr Kjems successful his hostel successful Tehran. He was taken to the notorious Evin prison, known for lodging galore protesters and governmental prisoners.

"They didn't archer maine wherefore I was taken. They asked me: 'Why did we instrumentality you?' I was a spot confused and I said: 'I did a fewer videos, I don't cognize why.'"

A authoritative past forced him to motion 2 papers written successful Persian, helium said.

"I didn't cognize what I was signing. [But] fundamentally I was agreeing that these accusations were true."

Mr Kjems was accused of participating successful the protests and filming them, which was considered an enactment against Iran's nationalist security.

Inside Evin, helium was housed with respective Iranians besides detained during the unrest. He braced himself for a gruelling ordeal, yet helium experienced unexpected kindness.

One of his cellmates was Ayatollah Abdolhamid Masoumi-Tehrani, a cleric captious of Iran's ultimate person who was arrested successful Tehran that October.

"We were hoping Thomas would not justice Iran based connected the actions of those who kept successful him prison," helium told the BBC successful a video call.

Mr Kjems said the ayatollah gave him a information of his ain nutrient each day. "It was a tiny gesture, but successful situation it's a precise large gesture," helium added.

Another of his cellmates was Mohammad Boroughani, a 20-year-old protester who was convicted successful November by a revolutionary tribunal successful Tehran of the complaint of "enmity against God" and sentenced to death.

Boroughani was accused of attacking a information defender and mounting occurrence to a authorities building. Amnesty International said his proceedings was an "unfair sham".

Mr Kjems said helium was successful the compartment the time erstwhile Boroughani was informed of his decease sentence. "When I asked wherefore helium was upset, my cellmates told maine his detention extended for different month. I tried to springiness him pep talk."

A fewer days later, helium recovered retired the truth.

"I was conscionable shocked. I retrieve helium told maine that helium tried to deed 1 of those riot constabulary officers, but helium didn't. There were different radical successful the situation who got decease condemnation for 1 Instagram story."

Mr Kjems said quality agents did not physically harm him, but that helium heard distressing accounts of prosecutors subjecting chap prisoners to brutal torture.

In June, aft 7 months successful custody, Mr Kjems was told by situation officials to battalion his worldly and permission the cell. He was driven to Mehrabad airdrome successful Tehran and boarded a backstage level bound for Oman.

He had been released by Iran pursuing mediation by the Omani government. Two Iranian-Austrian dual nationals, Massud Mossaheb and Kamran Ghaderi, and the Belgium assistance idiosyncratic Olivier Vandecasteele were besides freed arsenic portion of the captive swap. The 3 men were serving situation sentences aft being convicted of espionage - a complaint they denied.

At the aforesaid time, Iranian diplomat Asadollah Assadi was released by Belgium, wherever helium had been serving a 20-year situation condemnation for plotting a weaponry onslaught connected an exiled Iranian absorption group's rally successful France successful 2018.

Mr Kjems said helium "felt a batch of guilt" aft learning that Assadi had been freed, adding: "This full speech is an ethical dilemma."

His Danish lawyer, Sam Jalaei, said helium was guiltless but that specified cases could not beryllium solved done the ineligible process successful Iran alone.

"From the commencement we knew this is simply a governmental issue. That's wherefore we were successful changeless interaction with Danish overseas ministry and Danish quality service."

Mr Kjems said that aft 7 months successful situation helium lone wanted to spell location and sensation his mother's coffee.

While sipping an espresso astatine a cafe successful Copenhagen, helium said: "Now that I cognize however the strategy works successful Iran, however they usage foreigners arsenic a currency for speech oregon for money, I would ne'er ever spell back."