Ruhollah Zama was accused of anti-government activities and cooperation with French, US and Israeli intelligence agencies
Italy strongly condemns the execution by the Iranian authorities of Ruhollah Zam, head of the Amad News portal. This was said in a statement issued by the republic’s Foreign Ministry on Saturday evening.
“The death penalty is an appearance of inhumanity, a cruelty that is unacceptable under any circumstances. Italy has consistently advocated the abolition of the death penalty and calls on Iran for a moratorium on the death penalty,” the statement said. “Italy is convinced that the measure has no practical value in the fight against crime and that its abolition contributes to the strengthening of democracy and respect for human rights”, – the document said.
Earlier, the IRIB Broadcasting Corporation reported that the death sentence of the head of news portal Amad News was carried out in Iran on Saturday morning. On 8 December, Gholam spokesman Hossein Ismaili said Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the death sentence imposed on Ruhollah Zam.
On 14 October 2019, IRNA news agency published information about Zam’s detention by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Iran’s elite armed forces). He has been accused of anti-government activities and cooperation with the intelligence services of France, the US and Israel.
Zam is known as an Iranian journalist and activist who carried out his activities from abroad. His place of permanent residence was believed to be France. Zam was particularly active in covering protests in Iran in 2017-2018.