Baghaei Condemns Torture of Swedish Pro-Palestinian Activist

WANA (Oct 20) – In response to the testimony of Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who described the brutal torture and degrading treatment she faced from Israeli soldiers during her detention, Ismail Baghaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“Cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment! This is the very method the Israeli regime employs—while simultaneously spending lavishly on select media outlets to whitewash its crimes, paying up to $7,000 per article—to intimidate every courageous individual who stands for justice and human dignity for Palestinians, and to discourage global outrage over the ongoing genocide and atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank.”

He then asked: “Can the blood of innocent people and such heinous crimes be whitewashed with money or coercion?”

Baghaei’s remarks came shortly after the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft revealed in a recent report that the Israeli regime has been paying a group of around 14 to 18 social media influencers approximately $7,000 per post to produce pro-Israel content aimed at reshaping American public perception and restoring Israel’s image among U.S. audiences.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Condemns Torture of Swedish Pro-Palestinian Activist. Social Media / WANA News Agency

Earlier, on October 12, during his weekly press conference, Baghaei had addressed the arrest of members of the “Freedom Flotilla of Steadfastness” (al-Sumoud) and the inhumane treatment they faced, stating:

“This kind of behavior is not surprising coming from a regime that has killed nearly 70,000 people over the past two years and has obstructed even the most basic humanitarian aid from reaching them. The attacks on the flotilla and the reports of torture and mistreatment of its members are acts of terrorism and clear violations of human rights. Such actions are prosecutable under international law and are also the responsibility of the governments whose citizens were targeted. Given that well-established norms of international law have been violated, it is now the duty of the international community to address this issue in global forums—at the very least, to prevent the recurrence of such aggressions in the future.”