165 Iranian Athletes Urge Release of Academic Held by France
TEHRAN -- A group of 165 Iranian women athletes has called on UN chief Antonio Guterres to urge France to release Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian academic detained since February near Paris for speaking out against Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Esfandiari faces charges related to her Telegram posts supporting Gaza. The athletes condemned her “illegal and inhumane” detention, highlighting solitary confinement, restricted movement, and denied medical care. They demanded her “immediate and unconditional release,” warning that her continued imprisonment legitimizes violence against innocent children.