Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
National
RFI

French citizen Louis Arnaud arrives in Paris after being held in Iran

Frenchman Louis Arnaud is surrounded by his parents after his arrival at Le Bourget airport on 13 June, 2024. © AFP

French citizen Louis Arnaud returned to Paris Thursday after being held in Iran since September 2022 and sentenced last year to five years in jail on national security charges.

Emerging from a small plane at Le Bourget airport outside Paris, a visibly tired but smiling Arnaud shook hands with Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne before embracing his parents, according to images aired on television.

Arnaud linked arms with his relatives as they entered a private room at the airport out of view of the cameras.

"I am very glad to welcome one of our hostages who was indeed held arbitrarily in Iran," Sejourne said.

Arnaud, a 36-year-old consultant, set off in July 2022 on a round-the-world trip that led him to Iran.

His arrest came amidst protests in 2022 over the death in custody of a woman who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran’s strict dress rules for women.

Arnaud's family, who petitioned the UN to push for his release, said that he had not been involved politically and had been careful at the time, and had "kept a distance from the social movements”.

A petition last year calling on his release gathered 100,000 signatures.

Several French detainees

Arnaud is one of four French citizens – Cecile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris, and a man identified only by his first name, Olivier – who had been held by Iran.

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Iran to free three other detained French people “without delay”.

"Tonight, I am thinking also of Cecile, Jacques and Olivier. I call on Iran to release them without delay," Macron said.

In recent years, dozens of dual nationals and foreigners have been arrested, mostly on charges related to espionage and security – Iran does not recognise dual nationality.

France has called the arrests "state hostage taking" and rights groups have accused Iran of arresting people for diplomatic leverage over other countries, a claim that Iran has denied.

(with newswires)

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.