Greek court refuses to extradite dissident to Iran

THESSALONIKI, Greece – A Greek court has refused to extradite to Iran an Iranian political dissident and Christian wanted in her country for alleged drugs-smuggling, citing fears that she might face torture if returned.

The court in the northern city of Thessaloniki ruled Wednesday that the accusations were brought against Farnaz Naderikia, 31, as a form of political and religious persecution, her Greek lawyer Thodoris Karagiannis said.

Naderikia, who won asylum in Greece after entering illegally from Turkey with her husband and 11-year-old daughter, was an aide of Iran’s reformist ex-Prime Minister Mir-Hossein Mousavi.

Mousavi remains under house arrest years after he led Iran’s Green Movement following his disputed 2009 election loss to hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

The court said Iran’s extradition request stated Naderikia had been convicted of opium-smuggling. She denied that.