I endured Evin, Iran’s most notorious jail. I can’t understand how Sweden can leave its citizen to die there

‘One morning, his jailers told him he would be hanged at sunrise and gave him what they said was a final call to his wife to say goodbye.’ An Amnesty International protest in support of Ahmadreza Djalali in December 2020, Turin, Italy. Photograph: Tino Romano/EPA

I am a former hostage. I spent eight years enduring captivity and cruelty in Iran’s notorious Evin prison. Last year I was released as part of a controversial prisoner deal between the US and Iran, similar to the one that brought Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori home to the UK two years ago.

I firmly believe that we cannot abandon our innocent citizens in the dungeons of rogue states. Hostage deals, although distasteful, are necessary. We must do whatever it takes to save our citizens at risk while imposing harsh punishments to deter hostage-taking once and for all. Yet even I find Sweden’s recent hostage deal unpalatable.