Gholamhossein Esmaili, on 30 June 2020. Accusations of French involvement Shortly after Zam's arrest, the French newspaper Le Figaro accused the French government of involvement. Zam, who was living under police protection, discussed all his travel plans with French Police. Le Figaro implied that French police did not discourage Zam from traveling, as part of a prisoner swap agreement with Iran. In November 2021 the Iranian Security official Akbar Khoshkooshak claimed France helped organize the arrest of Zam, in return for the release of a French undercover agent, captured by Shiite militia in Syria. Execution Zam was executed by hanging on 12 December 2020. Zam was executed in Rejaei Shahr prison and was on hunger strike at the time of execution. A number of state officials including the state prosecutor Amin Vaziri were present to watch his execution. Reaction Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the execution and stated, The foreign ministry of France, where Zam was living in exile, stated, Amnesty International stated it was, As a response to the execution, ambassadors from France, Germany, Austria, and Italy cancelled their participation in the Europe-Iran Business Forum, an online business forum. International Bar Association Human Rights Institute described it as a judicial murder. See also Navid Afkari, a wrestler executed in 2020 for his alleged actions during the 2017–2018 Iranian protests Capital punishment in Iran List of foreign nationals detained in Iran References 1978 births 2020 deaths People from Tehran Iranian journalists Iranian activists Iranian whistleblowers Iranian expatriates in Malaysia Iranian expatriates in France Inmates of Evin Prison 2017–2018 Iranian protests Ruhollah Zam People executed by Iran by hanging People convicted of corruption Sharia in Iran