For 10 Years, This Younger Brother In Sweden Turned Out To Be Routine In Sending Intelligence Information To Russia

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JAKARTA - Brothers in Sweden have been found guilty by a Swedish court of spying for Russia's foreign military intelligence agency.

The two brothers submitted about 100 classified documents from the Swedish security and intelligence services to the Russian intelligence agency (GRU), according to a court ruling of the Stockholm district.

The secret file was accessed by his older brother while he was still working for Swedish intelligence agency (SAPO), the SVT broadcaster said.

The two brothers have been clearly proven, jointly and conspiring, without permission, with the intention of contacting Russia and the GRU, obtaining, forwarding, and disclosing information that if disclosed to foreign parties could threaten Sweden's security, the court's ruling said. January 20.

Peyman Kia, 42, was sentenced to life for serious espionage measures without permission to carry out a secret mission.

Meanwhile, his younger brother, Payam Kia, 35, was sentenced to nine years and 10 months for serious espionage.

"The purpose of the crime is to enrich oneself," said senior judge Mans Wigen.

Wigen said that his brother's actions were in the worst possible category because the perpetrator was fully aware of the consequences, and he had obtained, transferred, and disclosed information to Russia, which was the biggest threat to Sweden's security.

The brothers were arrested in September 2021 on charges of having worked to deliver information to Russia for 10 years from 28 September 2011 to 20 September 2021.

Lawyers told the court their client denied the allegations.

The case became one of the worst cases of spying in Swedish history, mainly as the two men collected a list of all SAPO workers.

Sweden's largest spy scandal came during the Cold War when security officers Teddy Bergling, employed by SAPO and the armed forces, sold classified information to the Soviet Union.

Bergling was sentenced to life in 1979 on similar charges, but managed to escape prison and was never caught again.