After 200 days without news from Cécile Kohler, a 38-year-old Alsatian teacher detained in Iran and accused of espionage, “consular access was finally granted to her”, indicates in a press release her sister Noémie Kohler, spokesperson for the support committee. “Freedom for Cécile”.
The French ambassador to Iran, Nicolas Roche, “was able to visit him for ten minutes on Wednesday.
A visit which took place under surveillance”, assures Noémie Kohler, who says she is “grateful of the work of French diplomacy who worked tirelessly to obtain this visit.
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As a reminder, until then, no information had been communicated to France or his family, apart from a video broadcast by Iranian state television on October 6.
“A terrible video featuring false confessions extorted from Cécile, under duress.
The comments made to her are rude, absurd, and contrary to who she is deeply, to the values she has always defended, ”assured the spokesperson during a press conference launching the committee of support, the day before this consular visit finally granted.
Held in Evin Prison
The family now knows that Cécile, their daughter and sister, is being held in Evin prison where the meeting took place.
Cécile Kohler was also imprisoned there during the fire of October 15.
She spent there "several months in solitary confinement, characterized as torture and contrary to the rules of the United Nations", recalls the support committee.
She now shares a cell with several women.
If the support committee says it is "relieved to finally have a sign of life", it also indicates that it remains "extremely concerned about his state of physical and psychological health".
“Cécile is innocent, she must be released and repatriated immediately,” added Noémie Kohler.
"We know that every step to establish contact with her or to improve her conditions of detention will be a battle," she said.
To date, recalls the president of the committee, Cécile still does not have access to an independent lawyer and could not have any direct contact with her family.
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In the same press release of "Liberté pour Cécile", the renowned lawyer and recently retired Thierry Moser, friend of the family to whom he supports, welcomes this small step forward.
He also thanks “French diplomacy which was able to obtain, certainly not without difficulty, the possibility for our ambassador to finally meet Cécile, recluse in her prison”.
A visit which, he hopes, “will allow Cécile Kohler to face, with renewed courage, the terrible ordeal that she has been unfairly facing for several months.
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