Louis Arnaud, a 35-year-old consultant who was detained in Iran, was released, announced Emmanuel Macron, Wednesday June 12, on the social networkcalling for the release of the three other French people detained in this country ” without delay “.
“Louis Arnaud is free. He will be in France tomorrow after too long incarceration in Iran”announced the president in his message. “I thank our Omani friends and all those who worked for this happy outcome”he wrote. “This evening, I am also thinking of Cécile, Jacques and Olivier. I call on Iran to release them without delay”he added.
“Louis Arnaud left Evin prison at dawn on Wednesday. He saw a doctor who found that he could fly.”a diplomatic source told Agence France-Presse. “He is currently in the Sultanate of Oman before taking a plane to Paris”added this diplomatic source. “It’s a happy outcome for our compatriot”indicated the same source.
The thirty-year-old began a world tour in July 2022 which took him to Iran, “a country that he had dreamed of visiting for a long time for the richness of its history and the welcome of its inhabitants”said his mother Sylvie Arnaud a few months ago.
Three other French people still detained
The consultant was arrested in September 2022 with other Europeans accused of participating in protests after the death of Mahsa Amini, a young Iranian Kurd who died after her arrest by the morality police.
His traveling companions were quickly released but Louis Arnaud remained in prison before being sentenced last November to five years in prison for propaganda and endangering the security of the Iranian state. His conviction was judged “unacceptable” through Paris.
“The accusations made against him, namely propaganda and undermining the security of the Iranian state, are completely unfounded”kept hammering his mother, who confided on Wednesday her “tremendous joy” upon the announcement of his release.
“Our joy is immense but it will only be complete when Cécile, Jacques and Olivier return”declared Sylvie Arnaud, in reference to the three other French nationals still detained in Iranian prisons.
The World Application
The Morning of the World
Every morning, find our selection of 20 articles not to be missed
Download the app
These three other French people are the couple Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, arrested in May 2022, as well as a Frenchman named Olivier whose name has not been made public.
“We will obviously continue our efforts for the three French people who remain incarcerated in Iran”indicated the diplomatic source.
A total of ten Western nationals imprisoned
The release of Louis Arnaud is “the result of the work that the French authorities have carried out for several months with the Iranian authorities, including the contacts of the Minister of Foreign Affairs Stéphane Séjourné with his counterpart before his death”. Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi and his Minister of Foreign Affairs died on May 19, 2024 in a helicopter crash.
Last May, Paris denounced in a press release “the Islamic Republic’s odious practice of forced and public confessions, as well as the inhumane and undignified conditions of detention inflicted on our compatriots”.
The Quai d’Orsay, which had described these prisoners as state hostages, had requested their immediate and unconditional release.
Two other French people, Benjamin Brière and Bernard Phelan, who also have Irish nationality, were released a little over a year ago, in May 2023, for “humanitarian reasons”. They were then very weakened and diminished by a hunger strike.
The Islamic Republic of Iran still detains more than ten Western nationals and is accused by their supporters and NGOs of using them as a bargaining chip in state-to-state negotiations.
This release came as France and its Western partners decided to toughen their tone against Tehran, which is also accused of destabilizing the Middle East.
France and the United States “are determined to exert the necessary pressure” on Iran which leads “an all-out escalation strategy”declared Emmanuel Macron on Saturday alongside his American counterpart Joe Biden.