Jailed French Academic Freed
After being held at the French Embassy in Iran for ten months, Clotilde Reiss has had her sentence commuted to a fine of £208,000, and has been allowed to return to France, the Telegraph reported on the 16th May.
Both Iran and France have denied any form of ‘trade’, but the move comes after France refused to extradite Majid Kakavand, an Iranian wanted by the USA for illegally buying weapons. Since Reiss’ release another Iranian, Ali Vakili Rad, who was serving a life sentence in France for murder, as also been allowed to return to Iran.
Tehran had accused Reiss of plotting to overthrow the government, following the disputed Presidential elections of 2009. On her return to France Reiss thanked President Sarkozy for having ‘defended my innocence’, and expressed sadness at the execution of the two men who were arrested along with her, The Telegraph reports. Meanwhile, the government clampdown on protestors and dissidents continues in Iran, with six members of a banned opposition group being sentenced to death in recent days.
Background Information:
The arrest of Clotilde Reiss was one of many that took place for alleged crimes against the state following the presidential elections in June 2009. Protests against alleged electoral fraud and in support of the independent reformist candidate Mir-Hossein Mousavi resulted in hundreds of arrests and sentences.
Alert - Iran
| Date: | 16 May 2010 |
| Source: | Daily Telegraph |
| Classification: | Media Article |
| Violation: | Arrest on false charges |
| Affected Persons: | Clotilde Rice |
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