Swedish appeals court upholds Russia spy conviction

A Swedish appeals court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that a former security services and armed forces employee had spied for Russia over the past decade.

A district court in January found Peyman Kia, 42, guilty of espionage and unauthorised handling of classified information, sentencing him to life imprisonment.

The lower court in the same case sentenced his younger brother Payam Kia to nine years and 10 months for spying. The brother who initially also appealed that verdict, last week withdrew his appeal.