The big picture:
Following the arrest of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian woman residing in France, by police on charges of supporting the people of Gaza, 165 Iranian female athletes issued an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, demanding an end to her illegal and inhumane detention.
What they're saying:
Part of the letter reads: “Mahdieh Esfandiari was raised in a civilization that, centuries ago, offered the timeless message that ‘Human beings are members of a whole’—a message that still resonates at the threshold of the United Nations and reflects the institution’s founding philosophy. She is a bearer of this human legacy and raised her voice not out of political ambition, but in defense of humanity: ‘Genocide is a stain on humanity, and infanticide is a shame upon history.’
Esfandiari spoke the truth with clarity and conviction. Yet the silence forced upon her stands as a profound wound to the principle of free expression. To silence the voice of truth is not merely an injustice against one individual—it is a betrayal of the very values the United Nations and the international community profess to uphold.”
Go deeper:
Mahdieh Esfandiari, a 39-year-old Iranian citizen, was arrested by French police in March of last year. The Paris prosecutor’s office announced that she is being prosecuted on charges of “glorifying terrorism” and other offenses related to her social media activity. These charges specifically stem from content published on a Telegram channel that, according to French authorities, expressed support for the Al-Aqsa operation.
Hossein Amiri - Mahboubeh Habibi
