Petition to free Frenchman detained in Iran gathers over 100,000 signatures

A petition calling for the release of Louis Arnaud, a Frenchman detained in Iran since the end of September, has collected more than 100,000 signatures in two weeks, his support committee said on Tuesday. It is urging the French government "to intensify its efforts" to secure his release.

Iran's national flag waves with Tehran in the background (illustration) © Vahid Salemi / AP

"We are launching this appeal from the heart in order to come to the aid of Louis Arnaud, our friend, our brother, our son", the online petition reads, which since 16 July has collected 101,319 signatures.

35 year-old Arnaud, a consultant, had set out in July 2022 to fulfill his dream of travelling the Silk Road by land and sea.

He had crossed Italy, Greece, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia before arriving in Iran.

However, on 28 September, "his journey took a dramatic turn when he was arrested in the company of three other travelers," from Poland, Iran and Italy, the support committee wrote in a statement on Tuesday. 

In a previous statement, the committee had indicated that "Louis and fellow European travelers had stayed away from the demonstrations which began in mid-September (in Iran)".

Screen shot of Frenchman Louis Arnaud, who was arrested in September 2022 in Iran, taken from the online petition page set up by his support committee in July 2023. © Comité de soutien de Louis Arnaud

The support group says he Arnaud and his new friends had planned an outing at an escape game centre when they were suddenly arrested and taken to Evin prison in Tehran.

While his fellow European travellers have since been released, "Louis is still being held in Evin Prison, without any substantiated charges brought against him," the statement said.

"Faced with this worrying situation, we appeal to our government and its diplomacy to intensify their efforts for Louis' release".

Irreversible effects

The committee is concerned about the "psychological and physical consequences irreversible effects that this prolonged detention" could have on Arnaud.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has detained more than a dozen Western nationals, mostly dual nationals, and is accused by their supporters and NGOs of using them as bargaining chips in negotiations.

• Two French citizens held in Iran released, returning to France

In addition to Louis Arnaud, three French people, whom Paris describes as "state hostages", are still detained in Iran: a French teacher, Cécile Kohler, and her companion Jacques Paris, arrested in May 2022 for "espionage", and a another whose identity has not been disclosed.

Demonstrators hold portraits of French detainees in Iran Fariba Adelkhah (L), Cecile Kohler (C) and Benjamin Briere (To-R) during a protest in support of French nationals detained by Iranian government, at the "Esplanade du Trocadero" in Paris on January 28, 2023. AFP - STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

The Franco-Iranian researcher, Fariba Adelkhah, arrested in 2019 and then sentenced to five years in prison for undermining national security, was released on 10 February but is prohibited from leaving Iranian territory.

Two French citizens, Bernard Phelan, who also holds Irish nationality, and Benjamin Briere, were freed from a prison in Iran in May this year.

(with AFP)