Iran (IMNA) - Esfandiari has been detained in a facility near Paris since late February, facing charges related to her Telegram posts expressing solidarity with the people of Gaza.
In an open letter, the athletes condemned the French authorities' “illegal and inhumane” detention practices, including solitary confinement, movement restrictions, and denial of medical care. They demanded Esfandiari’s “immediate and unconditional release” and cautioned that her continued imprisonment legitimizes “the deception of those whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent children.”
Quoting Esfandiari’s own words, “Genocide is the disgrace of humanity, and the killing of children is the shame of history,” the athletes warned France against silencing the voice of truth. They stressed that remaining silent against this injustice equates to siding with oppression and that history will record such complicity.
The letter also highlighted the urgent need for global unity against oppression and discrimination, emphasizing that recognition of Palestine holds true value only when paired with real action against repression and not through limiting freedom of thought and expression.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has formally protested Esfandiari’s detention, summoning the French envoy in Tehran and demanding legal justification, yet France has failed to present solid legal evidence for her arrest. French prosecutors allege charges of “glorifying terrorism” and social media offenses—claims dismissed by Tehran and human rights advocates as politically motivated attempts to silence critics of the Israeli regime.
This appeal from Iranian women athletes underscores the demand for justice and freedom of expression in the face of political repression.
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