Two French researchers imprisoned, Paris denounces "an unacceptable situation"

Two French researchers, arrested in June in Iran, are still
held by
Tehran, announced the French authorities on Wednesday, denouncing "an unacceptable situation."

On July 16, Iran admitted to having arrested the Franco-Iranian anthropologist Fariba Adelkhah, saying that his "file" was "under careful investigation by the judiciary in accordance with the laws of the country." But another French researcher, specialist of the Horn of Africa,
Roland Marchal, who was traveling with her, was arrested at the same time,
revealed Le Figaro on Tuesday.

The French consul in Tehran was able to visit the researcher "several times"

The arrest of Roland Marchal, known in the academic world, had not been revealed at the request of the French authorities who had asked for maximum discretion, hoping to settle this thorny file in a diplomatic way. Once the arrest of Roland Marchal revealed, the Quai d'Orsay confirmed Wednesday, demanding that is terminated "without delay" to "this unacceptable situation" and ensuring "fully mobilized" for the release of the two researchers.

Confirming that Roland Marchal is "currently detained by the Iranian authorities," the ministry assured that "as for Ms. Fariba Adelkhah, as soon as we were informed of her situation, we mobilized to obtain her release." "We had the opportunity to express our strong condemnation," added the ministry, which states that consular protection could be exercised and that the French consul in Tehran was able to visit the researcher "several times". "He has the assistance of a lawyer," the statement said.

Fariba Adelkhah, Franco-Iranian, subject to the laws of Tehran

The Fund for Analysis of Political Societies (Fasopo), to which belong the two researchers of the Paris University Sciences Po, had earlier in the day announced
in an open letter he had accepted, at the request of the French authorities, to remain silent on this arrest. "This discretion seemed preferable to the French authorities who had immediately committed, at the highest level, to obtain the release of our colleagues as soon as we reported their disappearance on June 25, but wanted to avoid any nationalist bidding in Tehran," he said. added the association.

"It also seemed to us in the light of the experiences of foreign colleagues who found themselves in the same situation, who pointed out how much the" Western "media mobilization was either useless or worse, counterproductive," Fasopo continued in his letter. opened. The Iranian authorities, who do not recognize the dual nationality and believe that Fariba Adelkhah is an Iranian citizen subject to the laws of that country, denounced, October 4 as an "unacceptable interference" a request from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs on his case . The reasons for his detention have not been made public so far.

The Iranian opponent Rouhollah Zam, a refugee in France, arrested

The dispute between Paris and Tehran was also weighed down by the arrest, in mysterious circumstances, of the Iranian opponent Ruhollah Zam, living in France where he was granted refugee status. The Quai d'Orsay had "strongly condemned" his arrest and assured "monitor this file with vigilance".

His arrest was announced Monday by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the ideological army of the Islamic Republic, calling him a "counter-revolutionary led by French intelligence." Rouhollah Zam led a channel on the encrypted Telegram messaging platform Amadnews, accused by Tehran of playing an active role in the 2017-2018 winter protest.