French Prisoner in Iran Goes on Hunger Strike
Iran’s judiciary denied Benjamin Briere, a French citizen held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, permission to contact his family on the occasion of Christmas. He began a hunger strike from December 25 for this reason, among others.
A French citizen who has been held in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad for more than a year and a half on “espionage” charges has gone on a hunger strike in protest of his detention conditions. He has strongly rejected the accusations leveled against him by the Islamic Republic authorities.
The 36-year-old Benjamin Briere was arrested in Iran in May 2020 (Ordibehesht 1399). The Islamic Republic authorities accuse him of photographing a restricted area by flying a drone.
Blondine Briere, the sister of this French prisoner, told the French news agency: “Benjamin began a hunger strike on December 25 (Dey 4) in protest of the prohibition on contacting his family on the occasion of Christmas and also to draw attention to the mistreatment he has suffered over the past 20 months.”
Ms. Briere added that there has been no change in her brother’s legal status.
Benjamin Briere’s family considers him an innocent tourist who, in 2018, began a long journey in his caravan from Scandinavian countries before entering Iran.
Saied Dehqan, Briere’s Iranian defense lawyer, said in Ordibehesht 1400 that the prosecutor confirmed that this prisoner will be tried on charges of “espionage” and also “propaganda against the regime.” If Briere is convicted on these charges, he faces the death penalty.
The French Foreign Ministry has described the espionage charge against Briere as “incomprehensible.”
Blondine Briere said it has not yet been decided which court will handle the case.
Ms. Briere said her brother has been taken “hostage” in Iran and “this is illegal and we have no other information.” She added that Benjamin needs greater assistance from the French Foreign Ministry.
Benjamin Briere is one of more than ten Western citizens imprisoned in Iran. Civil activists say these innocent people, who have committed no crime, are considered “hostages” of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to force Western countries to accept their demands.
Islamic Republic authorities have repeatedly stated that these people are imprisoned in accordance with the laws governing the country, but Tehran’s leadership has previously shown it is willing to exchange Western citizens imprisoned in Iran with Iranians imprisoned in Western countries.
Another French citizen imprisoned in Iran is Fariba Adelkhah, an anthropological researcher who was arrested in Iran in Khordad 1398 and in Ordibehesht 1399 was sentenced to a non-final conviction of 6 years imprisonment on charges of “gathering and conspiracy to act against national security” and “propaganda against the regime.” On July 10, 1399, the judiciary issued a final sentence of 5 years imprisonment. Due to illness, she is under house arrest.
Roland Marchal, a French researcher and Fariba Adelkhah’s life partner, was arrested by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in June 2019 when he went to Iran to visit Adelkhah, and was released in March 2020 during a prisoner exchange between Iran and France.
Jalal Rohollahnejad, who was exchanged with Marchal, is an Iranian who was imprisoned in France on charges of circumventing American sanctions against Iran and was to be extradited to the United States.
Source: DW
