In autumn 2021, the brothers Peyman and Payam Kia were arrested on suspicion of espionage - and what has been described as the biggest Swedish spy ring in modern times began to unravel.
16 months have passed since Säpo's first arrest and now the district court's verdict has been handed down: the brothers are convicted of aggravated espionage for ten years on behalf of Russia.
According to the president of the court, Måns Wigén, there are "no mitigating circumstances".
The sentence was life imprisonment for Peyman Kia, 42, and nine years and ten months in prison for Payam Kia, 35.
Welcome appeal
People in the immediate vicinity of the brothers have so far refrained from commenting.
But for SVT Nyheter, family members are now speaking for the first time about their feelings after the verdict.
- It is a necessary evil for us.
We knew it was going to be this way and we will get through it.
The family members are critical of the way the judiciary has acted during the course of the investigation, but they do not want to go into details about what they believe has happened.
The older brother's defense attorney, Anton Strand, has said the verdict will be appealed, which the family welcomes.
- There is not enough evidence, that is what they think has happened.
To get on to the Court of Appeal, this step must be taken, says one of them.
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See a summary of the course of events that led to the prosecution of the brothers in the clip.
Photo: SVT