Appeals Court: Benjamin Breyer sentenced to 8 years and 8 months in prison
HRANA News Agency – Branch 7 of the Court of Appeals of Khorasan Razavi Province has confirmed the conviction of Benjamin Brier, a French tourist. Mr. Brier, who is currently serving a sentence in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad, was previously sentenced to 8 years and 8 months in prison by the court of first instance.
According to HRANA News Agency, the news agency of the Human Rights Activists in Iran, the conviction of a French tourist imprisoned in Vakilabad Prison in Mashhad was confirmed in full.
Saeed Dehghan, one of Mr. Brier's lawyers, told HRANA that the verdict was issued and announced by Branch 7 of the Court of Appeals of Khorasan Razavi Province. According to Mr. Dehghan's statements in the verdict, France is recognized as a "hostile state." On the other hand, "sympathy for the victims of the Ukrainian plane" was announced as one of the reasons for his conviction. Also, his expertise in the field of informatics, having more than one hard drive and mobile phone were announced as other reasons for issuing the verdict.
Benjamin Brier was sentenced to 8 years and 8 months in prison by Branch 4 of the Mashhad Revolutionary Court last winter on charges of “propaganda against the regime and espionage.” The court hearing to hear the charges against the French tourist was held on Thursday, January 20, 1402, after 600 days of detention.
Saeed Dehghan, one of Mr. Brier's defense lawyers, had previously written on his personal Twitter page about the details of his trial: " 1- Before the start of the trial, they changed the courtroom from three to four. 2- The trial was not "public," but they brought video and photography cameras. 3- The new judge's position was clear in the very first trial. 4- By using the word exchange , they also made the task clear!"
A restraining order had previously been issued against this French tourist on two charges of corruption on earth and drinking alcohol.
This French citizen was arrested by security forces in early June 2020.
On March 2, 2020, the French newspaper Le Figaro reported the arrest of a dual Iranian-French citizen and a German citizen in Iran, adding that the French citizen was arrested while using a small drone in the Iranian deserts.
Dehghan also told HRANA's reporter in this regard: "The news published based on a news item published by the Figaro newspaper in France was based on the common understanding of the word drone as a drone, while this person, as a tourist, was carrying a regular "helicam" for photography. The use of this word by the Figaro newspaper has caused this misconception by some media outlets. Also, in this newspaper's report, this citizen is described as a French-Iranian citizen, while Benjamin is a French citizen."
Benjamin Brier's final defense hearing was held in March 2020. According to Saeed Dehghan, the attorney, the reason for the charges of espionage, taking photographs of prohibited areas, and propaganda against the regime was the question raised on social media, "Why is the hijab mandatory in the Islamic Republic but optional in other Islamic countries?"
Benjamin Brier went on a hunger strike in early January 2011 to protest the denial of his right to make phone calls and communicate with his family on Christmas Eve. He finally ended his hunger strike in mid-February of that year in Vakilabad Prison.
Source: HRANA
