By akademiotoelektronik, 16/12/2022

Iran: the Frenchman detained since May 2020 accused of "espionage"

The young French tourist, detained in Iran since May 2020, appeared before a court for accusations of "spying and propaganda against the system", according to his lawyer in Tehran Saïd Degham."He was charged with two charges of spying and propaganda against the Islamic Republic," he said on Twitter, adding that his client incurs a long-term imprisonment sentence.

To read as much: the academic detained 2 years says that Tehran tried to recruit her as a spy

According to Me Degham, Benjamin Brière, 35, was placed in detention after having piloted a drone intended for photography in the desert near the border between Turkmenistan and Iran."He is detained in Vakilabad prison in the city of Mashhad.He is in good health, has access to his lawyers, benefits from consular protection and those responsible for the French Embassy were in regular contact with him, "he added.

Iranian justice criticizes him for having taken "photographs of prohibited areas", as Le Figaro had revealed a month ago.The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs had confirmed shortly after this detention.He is also accused of "propaganda" for having "asked the question (on social networks) of knowing why the Islamic veil is 'compulsory' in the Islamic Republic (of Iran) but 'optional' in other Muslim countries",Writes Me Dehghan.

After that of the Franco-Iranian researcher Fariba Adelkhah, still under house arrest in Tehran after a year and a half in prison, this detention occurs when Iran and the great powers seek to negotiate a return to the international nuclear agreement of2015 from which Donald Trump retired in 2018.

Money change

Added to that of other foreigners or binationals, this case becomes the already tense relations between Paris and Tehran.Iran criticizes France for being "behind" a condemnation by Belgian justice to 20 years in prison against one of its diplomats, Assadolah Assadi.Standing in Austria, linked to the Iranian intelligence services, he was found guilty of organized a failed attack at a meeting of opponents in the Parisian suburbs, in the summer of 2018.According to many observers, Iran would seek to monitor its release against that of foreigners or binationals held by Tehran.

"My brother is only a tourist who was walking in flip flops in Iran," said Benjamin Brière's sister to the point.Following travel, he undertook in the spring of 2020 to go around Iran in van."The charges held against him are completely unfounded," she adds.He fell in love with Iran and his people ”.

Benjamin Brière, who works in events, had arrived there in November 2019, and planned to stay in Iran for some time when he was arrested in a natural park located in the northeast of the country.