Palestine Rights Supporter Mahdieh Esfandiari Back in Iran
According to Al-Alam, Esfandiari entered the country through the Razi land border in West Azerbaijan Province after being released from prison in France.
Esfandiari was an Iranian student living in France who was arrested by the French police for supporting the resistance of the people of Gaza.
Her release came following an understanding reached between Tehran and Paris, according to which the French government pledged to release Mahdieh Esfandiari and withdraw the complaint filed against Iran at the International Court of Justice in exchange for the release of two French citizens accused of espionage in Iran.
Upon her arrival in the country, Esfandiari offered condolences on the martyrdom of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei to all the people of Iran and the free people of the world, stating that Iranians are resilient people.
She also stated in response to a question about freedom of expression, “I think it should be clear to everyone that at least in France, where I was, there is no freedom of expression. The court’s decision was very unfair. They imposed restrictions on me and held me hostage until two of their own spies came to France. (Only then) was this restriction lifted and we were able to make preparations for the trip (back to Iran).”
On February 26, a court in France had sentenced the 39-year-old to four years in prison after she protested the genocide that has claimed the lives of more than 72,000 Palestinians, including women and children, since its onset in October 2023.
The court, however, sentenced the Lumière University graduate, who used to work as a professor, translator, and interpreter at the higher education institute, on alleged charges of "public defense of terrorism." The court also permanently barred Esfandiari from entering French territory.
She had previously spent eight months in pretrial detention before being released under conditional terms.
4346521
