Famous Ukrainian TV presenter was sentenced to death in Iran, but a "miracle" happened

Ukrainian businessman and traveller Artemiy Surin, host of the new travel show The Great Circle, was sentenced to death in Iran for "espionage". The Ukrainian did not find a common language with local law enforcement officers, which could have led to his execution without a fair trial.

He spoke about this on 1+1 Breakfast. When his round-the-world trip was on the verge of failure, a "miracle" happened (to see photos and videos, scroll to the bottom of the page).

Artemiy Surin had only a few countries to cross before reaching Ukraine. The traveller thought that the most difficult experience was behind him until he got to Iran.

"I was filming in this country from a drone. I got permission in advance. And while filming ancient ruins, a historical site, everything started like a film. I saw a police pick-up truck with armed men driving by. Nothing I was showing mattered. The next morning, there was a court hearing where, without an interpreter or a lawyer, they pronounced a verdict that Ukrainian citizen Surin Artemiy was accused of espionage. I knew that there were two options in this situation - life imprisonment and the death penalty," the Ukrainian said.

He spent the night in jail, and in the morning the traveller was transferred to the prison of the Islamic Republic's Guard Corps. "These are the same criminals who shot down the Ukrainian plane. At the time, it seemed to me that it was all over," Artemiy Surin recalled.

A "miracle" helped the Ukrainian to be released. He managed to meet an officer who listened to the tourist's words and decided to let him go. The Ukrainian embassy also made efforts.

"He decided to let me go, and it was really a miracle. The Ukrainian embassy made efforts to help me when I was in prison. After I managed to get out, they evacuated me and sheltered me in their embassy. Then I was evacuated from the country to Azerbaijan. Even they said it was a miracle," the guest of the morning show added.

Earlier, OBOZREVATEL wrote that Iran officially responded to Ukraine's lawsuit over the downed UIA passenger plane in 2020. They accused Ukraine, Canada, Sweden, and the UK of "pursuing political goals and interests".

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