France slams Iran for publishing ‘confession’ video of ‘hostages’
2 years, 5 months ago

France slams Iran for publishing ‘confession’ video of ‘hostages’

Al Jazeera  

Paris condemns Tehran for airing a video of a French couple, who say they are spies of French intelligence service. Iran’s state television has aired what it says are “confessions” by a French couple arrested five months ago, a move the French government is condemning as “shameful, revolting and unacceptable”. “Cecile Kohler and Jacques Paris have been arbitrarily detained in Iran since May 2022, and as such are state hostages,” its foreign ministry said. Rights groups based outside Iran have repeatedly accused Iran of extracting “confessions” from detained foreigners and Iranian campaigners under duress and then broadcasting them on state media as a propaganda tool. Iran’s judicial authority issued an order in October 2020 banning torture, the use of “forced confessions”, solitary confinement, illegal police custody and other violations of defendants’ rights.

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History of this topic

A look at known Iranian-Americans held by Iran as the US seeks a prisoner release deal
1 year, 7 months ago

A look at known Iranian-Americans held by Iran as the US seeks a prisoner release deal

Associated Press  

Iran has transferred five Iranian-Americans from prison to house arrest, part of a possible deal over billions of dollars of Iranian assets frozen in South Korea. Iran sentenced both Namazi and his father, Baquer Namazi, to 10 years in the country’s notorious Evin Prison on what the U.S. and U.N. say are trumped-up spying charges. Baquer was placed under house …

France says 2 citizens held in Iran freed from prison, on way to Paris
1 year, 10 months ago

France says 2 citizens held in Iran freed from prison, on way to Paris

Associated Press  

PARIS — A French citizen and another holding dual French-Irish nationality have been freed from an Iranian prison, French authorities said Friday, the culmination of a hard-fought effort to bring them home. Benjamin Briere and Bernard Phelan, who both had been held in a prison in Mashhad, in northeast Iran, were heading to Paris, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said. “It’s …

Iran indicts two French nationals for spying
2 years, 2 months ago

Iran indicts two French nationals for spying

Al Jazeera  

Iranian authorities accuse the French citizens, who they have not named, of spying and colluding against national security. Tehran, Iran – Iran’s judiciary has issued indictments related to espionage against two French citizens and has indicted a Belgian national in a separate case. The two French citizens were not named, but judiciary spokesman Masoud Setayeshi said at a press conference …

Iran state TV says 2 French nationals arrested over protests
2 years, 10 months ago

Iran state TV says 2 French nationals arrested over protests

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s state TV on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of two French citizens, saying they met with protesting teachers and took part in an anti-government rally. The report said the two French citizens were “organizing a protest” with the purpose of creating “unrest” in Iran. Briere’s lawyer had claimed his client was being used as a “bargaining chip” …

Iran says arrested French nationals helped foment protests
2 years, 10 months ago

Iran says arrested French nationals helped foment protests

Al Jazeera  

State TV says the two were under surveillance and met with people who organised protests by teachers. Tehran, Iran – Two French nationals arrested by Iranian intelligence last week helped organise protests by teachers, Iran’s state television has said. “The intelligence ministry observed them in organisation and coordination meetings with people who regard themselves as members of the Teachers Guild …

Iran jails French man for eight years on spying charges
3 years, 2 months ago

Iran jails French man for eight years on spying charges

Al Jazeera  

Benjamin Briere was also given an additional eight-month sentence for propaganda against Iran’s Islamic system. A court in Iran has sentenced a French man to eight years in jail on spying charges, his Paris-based lawyer said, denouncing his trial as a sham and the accusations as baseless. Currently on hunger strike, he was also given an additional eight-month sentence for …

French national jailed in Iran since 2020 goes on hunger strike
3 years, 3 months ago

French national jailed in Iran since 2020 goes on hunger strike

Al Jazeera  

Benjamin Briere, 36, is being detained over alleged spying and propaganda against Iran – charges he rejects as fabricated. A French man jailed in Iran for more than 18 months on espionage charges he rejects as fabricated has begun a hunger strike to protest against his continued detention, his lawyer and family say. Benjamin Briere, 36, was arrested in May …

Lawyer: Iran charges detained French tourist with spying
4 years ago

Lawyer: Iran charges detained French tourist with spying

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has charged a French tourist with spying and “spreading propaganda against the system,” his lawyer said Monday, the latest in a series of cases against foreigners at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West. Benjamin Berier was arrested some 10 months ago after taking pictures in a desert area where photography is prohibited …

Iran charges detained French tourist with spying: Lawyer
4 years ago

Iran charges detained French tourist with spying: Lawyer

Al Jazeera  

Iran has charged a French tourist with spying and “spreading propaganda against the system,” his lawyer said, the latest in a series of cases against foreigners at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West. “On Sunday, he was charged with two counts of espionage and propaganda against the Islamic Republic,” Dehghan told Reuters news agency on Monday, …

Lawyer: French tourist detained in Iran on security charges
4 years, 1 month ago

Lawyer: French tourist detained in Iran on security charges

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran has detained a French tourist for nine months, his lawyer said on Wednesday, the latest in a series of detentions of foreigners at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the West. The detainee’s lawyer, Saeed Dehghan, described the charges against the French tourist held in Iran as “paradoxical,” involving murky security-related accusations. An official …

French-Iranian academic marks one year imprisoned in Iran
4 years, 9 months ago

French-Iranian academic marks one year imprisoned in Iran

Al Jazeera  

Series of events mark anniversary of Fariba Adelkhah’s arrest as Paris city hall displays her portrait on its facade. French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah has spent one year imprisoned in Iran, in a case that has intensified tensions between Paris and Tehran and angered supporters who fear she is the victim of a political battle. “Fariba Adelkhah is a hostage of …

Iran sentences French academic to six years in prison: Lawyer
4 years, 10 months ago

Iran sentences French academic to six years in prison: Lawyer

Al Jazeera  

Fariba Adelkhah is sentenced to five years in jail for conspiring against Iran’s security and one year for propaganda. Iran has sentenced French-Iranian academic Fariba Adelkhah to six years in prison on national security charges, according to her lawyer. “The branch 15 of Tehran’s Revolutionary Court has sentenced her to five years jail for gathering and conspiring against Iran’s national …

Iran frees French researcher in apparent prisoner swap
5 years ago

Iran frees French researcher in apparent prisoner swap

Al Jazeera  

Release of Roland Marchal comes after Iranian Jallal Rohollahnejad is freed by France. Iran has released a jailed French researcher, in an apparent prisoner swap after France freed an Iranian threatened with extradition to the United States. French President Emanuel Macron “is happy to announce the release of Roland Marchal, imprisoned in Iran since June 2019”, his office said on …

Iran frees French researcher in apparent prisoner swap
5 years ago

Iran frees French researcher in apparent prisoner swap

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — Iranian state TV said late Friday that authorities released a jailed French researcher detained in Tehran for more than eight months on charges of violating state security laws, in an apparent prisoner swap for an Iranian held in France. The report said Roland Marchal was turned over to the French Embassy in Tehran, hours after French authorities …

Iran lawyer: No proof of charges against 2 French citizens
5 years, 5 months ago

Iran lawyer: No proof of charges against 2 French citizens

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian lawyer representing two French researchers in custody in Tehran says prosecutors have given no evidence of spying and security charges against them, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported Monday. The report quoted lawyer Saeid Dehghan as saying Roland Marchal was detained on security charges in June while visiting Iran to see Iranian-French fellow academic Fariba …

Macron seeks answers from Iran over academic’s detention
5 years, 8 months ago

Macron seeks answers from Iran over academic’s detention

Al Jazeera  

The French president worried for Fariba Adelkhah at a time Paris and Tehran are in crisis talks to save nuclear deal. French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday called on Tehran to explain why a Franco-Iranian academic based at a Paris university has been arrested in Iran, expressing concern for the woman’s welfare. “France calls on the Iranian authorities to shed …

Iran spy TV show glorifies hard-liners imprisoning reporter
5 years, 8 months ago

Iran spy TV show glorifies hard-liners imprisoning reporter

Associated Press  

TEHRAN, Iran — The Farsi caption has unfurled across the black screen of a channel of Iranian state television every night for days now, promising viewers that what they are about to witness is “based on a real case.” But the slick graphics, chase scenes and gunfights of “Gando” serve a far different purpose — trying to offer justification of …

France cancels official dinner with Iran's President Rouhani... because he wants it to be wine-free
9 years, 4 months ago

France cancels official dinner with Iran's President Rouhani... because he wants it to be wine-free

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Ahead of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s landmark European trip …

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