Benjamin Briere’s Sister Tells Voice of America: We Are Trapped in Iran Officials’ Political Dispute

Blondine Briere, sister of Benjamin Briere, responded to the eight-year prison sentence issued for her brother by Iranian judicial authorities, saying it has become clear to her that this case is political and that Iran has done this before.

A court in Iran on Tuesday convicted Benjamin Briere, a French citizen imprisoned in Iran, on espionage charges and sentenced him to eight years and eight months in prison.

Ms. Briere said on Wednesday, January 26, in an exclusive interview with the Farsi Service of Voice of America: “We were informed of the verdict yesterday. It was very heavy news for us. But we are angry and we know we are trapped in a political dispute, and now it has become clear.”

Benjamin Briere’s sister added: “It is clear because we know how Iran does this and has done it before. They had no evidence, the trial was held behind closed doors, Benjamin had no access to his defense team. If this were not political, they would have allowed Benjamin access to his defense team or held a public trial. That’s why I think now it is clearly political.”

The court verdict was issued one day earlier. Mr. Briere’s lawyer stated in a statement: “This verdict is the result of a purely political process.”

Blondine Briere said about the next steps: “Our next action is to appeal the verdict and we will do this, but I have no hope for the appeal because we already had an unjust trial and now we will have another unjust trial, and I don’t think there will be any change in the verdict. It will again be a political and unjust trial.”

Regarding what her expectations are from the French government, Ms. Briere said: “I am pressuring the French government through talks with media outlets and making clear that Benjamin is just a tourist and should be released. I have no information about negotiations or prisoner exchanges because I am an ordinary person and know nothing. But now I’m asking the government to take action and do whatever it takes to free him. I know the government knows what to do and has done it before. They well know Benjamin is not a spy, the Iranian government also knows Benjamin is not a spy, everyone knows this, but now it’s time for the French government to do something about it.”

Benjamin Briere has been on a hunger strike since after Christmas in protest of restrictions he faces in prison, and he continues to do so.

Blondine Briere said about her brother’s condition: “I haven’t spoken with Benjamin for several days. He was still on hunger strike for the trial yesterday. He is determined to continue and change the conditions. Now we are worried about his condition and his mental and psychological health because he has been on hunger strike for over a month and is physically tired and low on energy. We are worried about his condition because he continues this hunger strike and may lose his life in this struggle.”

Benjamin Briere’s sister had previously said in an interview with Voice of America’s Farsi Service that the Islamic Republic government has taken her brother as a hostage.

Currently, in addition to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Morad Tahbaz, Mehrdad Rauf, and Anoosheh Ashoori (Iranian-British citizens), several other dual and multiple nationals, including Emad Sharqi, Siamak Namazi, and his father Baquer Namazi (Iranian-American citizens), Ahmadreza Jalali (Iranian-Swedish researcher), Masoud Mossaheb and Kamran Ghaderi (Iranian-Austrian citizens), Fariba Adelkhah (Iranian-French citizen), and Nahid Taghavi (Iranian-German citizen), are imprisoned in Iran.

Source: Voice of America