They are the Lyonnais Benjamin Brière and the Franco-Irish Bernard Phelan. Benjamin Brière will have spent 1087 days imprisoned in Iran.
A long wait that is coming to an end. Detained in Iran since May 26, 2020, Benjamin Brière, originally from Lyon, was released this Friday, as was the Franco-Irish Bernard Phelan, the Quai d’Orsay announced in a press release.
Benjamin Brière had been held prisoner for nearly three years after being arrested by the Iranian police for taking photos of prohibited areas in a natural park with his drone and for posting his opposition to the compulsory wearing of the veil on the networks. social.
1087 days behind bars for Benjamin Brière
In total, the French tourist will have spent 1087 days in his jail. In an attempt to warn of his innocence, Benjamin Brière had carried out several hunger strikes, including one of 35 days.
First sentenced in January 2022, he was “acquitted of all charges” during his appeal trial on February 15, but remained imprisoned.
From the Rhône, his sister Blandine continued to fight to have him released. “He no longer hides the disarray in which he is. He can’t take it anymore, he is completely desperate. We see that everything is blocked and that nothing is moving forward”, she explained last November at the microphone of BFM Lyon. Without any “date to hang on to”, her sister said she was “desperate”.
