Arrested in Iran in June 2019, then sentenced to five years in prison for undermining national security, the Franco-Iranian researcher Fariba Adelkhah was released from Evin prison, we learned this Friday, February 10, 2023.
” She’s free “, assured this Friday one of the relatives of Fariba Adelkhah preferring to remain anonymous. “ But we don’t know anything about his status. “, specified this person.
” France welcomes the release this evening of Mrs. Fariba Adelkhah, researcher at the Center for International Research (CERI) of Sciences Po, who was unjustly detained in Iran in Evin prison “, then confirmed the Quai d’Orsay in a press release.
” It is essential that Mrs Fariba Adelkhah be able to recover all of her freedoms, including that of returning to France if she wishes. “, adds the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Last confirmation, that of the university’s support committee, still by press release: ” We are pleased to confirm that Fariba is released this evening from Evin prison. A huge relief! We do not know at this time the conditions of his release. »
Another six French detained in Iran
Faribac Adelkhah, 63, was arrested in Iran in June 2019 and later sentenced to five years in prison for undermining national security. In January 2022, the Iranian justice had ordered her return behind bars, when she had for a time been authorized to live under house arrest.
The Franco-Iranian denies the charges against her. Paris also believes that his conviction is not based on any serious element.
Several dozen Westerners remain detained in Iran, a country that does not recognize dual nationality. This was so far the case of seven French nationals. The names of two of them are not known.
But Benjamin Brière was, for example, arrested in May 2020, before being sentenced to eight years and eight months in prison for espionage.
As for Cécile Kohler and her companion Jacques Paris, they were arrested last May, while they were sightseeing in the country.
More recently, the identity of Franco-Irish Bernard Phelan, detained in an Iranian prison since October, was made public. Fariba Adelkhah’s support committee, which says it hopes ” quick release ” others ” hostages ” French in Iran, in his words, said to himself ” worried for the latter, whose state of health had been considered worrying by the Quai d’Orsay at the end of January.
Their supporters often portray Western prisoners as innocent people used by Tehran to pressure their country. Paris, in particular, no longer hesitates to accuse Tehran of creating ” state hostages “. The Islamic Republic argued that foreigners were detained under its domestic laws, but said it was open to prisoner swaps.
It is with happiness and relief that we announce the release of our dear colleague Fariba Adelkhah, arbitrarily detained in Iran for more than 3 years. Hostage of the local authorities, she was a scientific prisoner. Thank you to everyone who made his release possible.
— Sciences Po (@sciencespo) February 10, 2023
French diplomacy remains determined
The context ? Currently under international sanctions, Iran is trying, together with the major powers, to resuscitate the 2015 international agreement on its nuclear program.
The regime in Tehran has also been confronted with major demonstrations since last fall.
At the end of December, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs had assured that the mobilization of the French authorities to free their nationals remained “ total “.
(with agencies)
Fariba Adelkhah released as part of Ayatollah Khamenei’s amnesty?
We do not yet know the conditions for the release of Fariba Adelkhah, but it could have been decided within the framework of the amnesty decided by the Iranian Supreme Guide for the release of several thousand prisoners or significant reductions in sentences.
Since she has served more than half of her five-year prison sentence, the researcher can theoretically benefit from this amnesty.
This also comes on the eve of the 44th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution, which is also the occasion for pardons or remissions of sentences.
Along with this information, the head of Iranian diplomacy revealed on Friday that negotiations had been conducted for several weeks with the United States for an exchange of prisoners.
According to Hossein Amir Abdollahian, a British official had been appointed by Washington to lead discussions with Tehran with a view to such an exchange, and this envoy came to Iran in recent weeks. The Americans must make technical decisions for the exchange to take place, said the head of Iranian diplomacy.
Catherine Colonna, French Minister of Foreign Affairs, had asked Iran two weeks ago to release the seven French prisoners held in the country.
In Tehran,
Siavosh Ghazi
►Read again: Support for researcher Fariba Adelkhah arrested three years ago in Iran does not give up