Iranian women athletes urge UN to act against France’s detention of Esfandiari
A group of 165 Iranian women athletes has urged UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to press France to release Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian academic arbitrarily detained in the European country for speaking up against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Esfandiari, who has been held in a detention facility outside Paris since late February, faces charges linked to content she shared on Telegram in solidarity with the people of Gaza.
In their open letter, the athletes raised concerns over French authorities’ “illegal and inhumane” detention of Esfandiari, citing solitary confinement, restrictions on movement, and denial of medical care.
Calling for her “immediate and unconditional release,” the athletes warned that Esfandiari's continued imprisonment amounts to legitimizing “the deception of those whose hands are stained with the blood of innocent children.”
They quoted Esfandiari’s words, “Genocide is the disgrace of humanity, and the killing of children is the shame of history," and warned France against silencing the voice of truth.
“To remain silent in the face of this injustice is to side with oppression,” they wrote, warning that history will carefully record such complicity.
“Today, the world needs a united voice against oppression and discrimination more than ever,” they added.
They further said that the international community "must remain aware that recognizing Palestine is only meaningful when accompanied by genuine action and steadfastness against repression and injustice — not by restricting freedom of thought and expression.”
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has lodged repeated protests with French authorities, summoning Paris’s envoy in Tehran and demanding legal justification. Still, France has provided “no solid legal evidence” for Esfandiari's detention.
French prosecutors say Esfandiari is under investigation for “glorifying terrorism” and social media–related offenses, charges Tehran and rights advocates dismiss as a political cover for targeting voices critical of the Israeli regime.
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