Franco-Iranian anthropologist Fariba Adelkhah has been sentenced to five years in prison for "collusion to undermine national security," his lawyer Said Dehghan told AFP on Saturday.
Detained since June 2019
His arrest in June 2019 had been denounced by France, which is demanding his release, as has his support committee in Paris. Dehghan, who did not specify the date of sentencing, said the researcher also received a one-year sentence for "propaganda against the political system" of the Islamic Republic, but should only serve the sentence. longer. These two convictions can nevertheless be appealed.
Arrested and detained in Iran since June 2019, this specialist in Shiism was a researcher at the Center for International Research (CERI) at Sciences Po Paris. Iran does not recognize dual nationality. His trial opened on March 3 before the 15th chamber of the Tehran Revolutionary Court. The second hearing took place on March 19, according to his lawyer.
"Propaganda against the political system"
His colleague and companion, Roland Marchal, arrested in June 2019 when he came to visit him, was released in late March when an Iranian engineer threatened with extradition to the United States, Jalal Rohollahnejad, was released to France. Since "at least two people must be implicated" in the accusation of "collusion with a view to attacking national security", the second person in question may be Roland Marchal, whose case did not not filed despite his release, said Dehghan.
According to the lawyer, the accusation of "propaganda against the political system" refers to the opinion of the researcher on the wearing of the veil in Iran but according to him it is remarks by an academic above all more than d 'a value judgment.