In the case, dubbed Sweden’s "the biggest spy scandal since the Cold War," Peyman Kia was accused of acquiring 90 secret documents during his employment with Sweden's security and intelligence service (SAPO), as well as the armed forces over a ten-year period from September 2011 to September 2021.
His younger brother, Payam Kia, allegedly sold the information to Russia's military intelligence service, the GRU. The transactions occurred in public locations, including a library in Uppsala.
In the January verdict, the district court highlighted that there was undeniable evidence that the Iranian brothers jointly obtained, transmitted, and disclosed information to a foreign power, posing a threat to Sweden's security. During the initial court hearing, both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The Swedish-Iranian Kia was recruited by the SAPO at the age of 26 through a program targeting individuals from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds.
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Source: PAP
