A 30-year-old Iranian dissident was gang-raped in Germany by four men believed to be loyalists of Iran's Islamic Republic, a report said. The assault, which took place on Saturday night at an abandoned brewery in the town of Iserlohn in North Rhine-Westphalia is being treated as a politically motivated crime, according to reports from Der Spiegel and other German media outlets.
The attackers, aged 24 to 46, were arrested shortly after the incident by local law enforcement, who deployed helicopters and multiple patrol units in a swift search of a nearby forest. One of the suspects sustained injuries while trying to escape capture. According to local media, witnesses had alerted authorities after hearing the victim's screams, leading to the discovery of the man in a severely abused state, tied up and in need of medical care.
German investigators have confirmed that the attack was not only violent but carried a specific political message. The victim, an Iranian refugee known for his opposition to Tehran's regime, was targeted with the intention of "sexual humiliation."
The attackers are reported to be staunch supporters of Iran's Islamic Republic.
This latest attack follows a trend of Iranian dissidents being targeted on foreign soil. Earlier this year, an Iranian dissident in the Netherlands narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. Other incidents include the stabbing of Iran International presenter Pouria Zeraati in London and threats against Iranian journalists in the UK.
