Ottawa asks Iran to release Canadian on death row

AFP: Canada’s foreign minister on Monday called on Iran to halt the imminent execution of Canadian-Iranian Hamid Ghassemi-Shall and to release the man accused of espionage.

OTTAWA (AFP)— Canada’s foreign minister on Monday called on Iran to halt the imminent execution of Canadian-Iranian Hamid Ghassemi-Shall and to release the man accused of espionage.

“Canada is gravely concerned by indications that the execution of Mr. Ghassemi-Shall may be carried out imminently,” Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird said in a statement.

“Canada urgently appeals to the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to grant clemency to Mr. Ghassemi-Shall on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

“We urge Iran to reverse its current course and to adhere to its international human rights obligations.”

Hamid Ghassemi-Shall, 42, was detained in Iran and sentenced to death for espionage in 2009.

His supporters say he traveled to Tehran to visit his ailing mother.

He immigrated to Canada following the Islamic revolution of 1979, living mostly in Toronto, but Iran does not recognize his dual citizenship.