An Iranian court has sentenced German-born humanitarian Serkan Eren to 10 years in prison, STELP announced. The Stuttgart-based charity said the ruling was based on Eren's contact with a state Iran considers an enemy; Eren was detained after travelling to Iran in June last year to provide aid. STELP called the verdict unjustified and noted Eren received Germany's Federal Cross of Merit in 2023.
German-Born Aid Worker Serkan Eren Sentenced To 10 Years By Iranian Court
Several thousand candles burn at a silent vigil organized by the charity organization STELP on Stuttgart's Marienplatz. The tea lights are intended to serve as a symbol for all civilian casualties of the Middle East conflict. (is associated with: «German-born aid worker sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran») Christoph Schmidt/dpa
An Iranian court has sentenced Serkan Eren, the German-born founder of the Stuttgart-based aid organisation STELP, to 10 years in prison, the charity said on Tuesday citing information from Eren's legal counsel.
Details
STELP said the court based the sentence on Eren's contact with a country that Iran regards as an enemy state. According to the organisation, Eren travelled to Iran in June of last year to provide humanitarian assistance and was taken into custody while there.
Eren was born and raised in Germany and also holds Turkish citizenship. STELP described the ruling as unjustified and said there has been no immediate confirmation of the verdict from Iranian or Turkish authorities.
"We are deeply shocked by this verdict and do not consider it justified in any way," STELP said in a statement.
Background And Recognition
STELP says Eren has spent years working as a humanitarian volunteer in crisis zones around the world. In 2023, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier awarded him the Federal Cross of Merit in recognition of his work.
At present, independent verification of the court's decision is limited. The sentencing raises potential diplomatic and human-rights concerns given Eren's dual ties to Germany and Turkey and his profile as a humanitarian worker. We will update this story as further information or official statements from Iranian or Turkish authorities become available.
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