INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
in France during the last 18 months for expressing solidarity with Gaza, amid intensifying criticisms that Paris is exploiting
counterterrorism measures to target pro-Palestine advocacy.His arrest follows the controversial detentions of Mahdieh Esfandiari and Bashir
dragging the Iranian citizen away without explanation.Hazamy, a freelance journalist known for documenting pro-Palestine protests and the
terrorisme" (praise of terrorist acts) due to his social media posts, though no formal evidence has been disclosed.Iranian filmmaker Mohsen
rally" went viral, amassing an astonishing "50 million views."Eslamzadeh continued by stressing that "this, coupled with his criticism of
pro-Palestinian activists amidst a climate of intimidation and heavy-handed governmental tactics.He also stated that a French judge had
granted Hazamy temporary release before his trial, with a court hearing scheduled in two weeks.Mahdieh Esfandiari: disappeared, then charged
University, who vanished on February 28, after French police stormed her home.For weeks, her family received no updates until Le Point
home was left in disarray after the raid, and friends needed firefighters to break in when she disappeared.French prosecutors later linked
her arrest to a 2023 report by the National Online Hate Crime Center (PNLH), which flagged her social media activity.Created in 2021 to
combat online hate speech, the PNLH has faced criticism for allegedly suppressing pro-Palestinian activism
It was involved in banning Collectif Palestine Vaincra over unmoderated social media comments and prosecuting trade unionist Anasse Kazib
Esfandiari has been held in solitary confinement without consular access or contact with her family
Iranian Expatriates Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed the ongoing efforts to secure the release of Mahdieh Esfandiari,
who has been detained in France over her support for Palestine.In a post on X on Tuesday, Jalalzadeh stated that he had met with a member of
actions and assured them that Iran would continue working toward her release.Bashir Biazar: Deported for 'anti-French remarks'Bashir Biazar,
a 42-year-old Iranian journalist and former manager at the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), experienced a similar ordeal in
June 2024.Arrested in Dijon, he was held for 28 days in Metz under administrative detention before deportation
dissentThe cases of Hazamy, Esfandiari, and Biazar underscore a broader pattern
Under the guise of combating antisemitism, France has conflated anti-Zionism with terrorism, using draconian laws to stifle criticism of
activists for solidarity with Palestine
Biazar, the French government has since initiated unprecedented crackdowns on pro-Palestinian voices, targeting journalists, students, and
Esfandiari and Shahin Hazami, whose detentions were marked by inhumane measures such as home break-ins by masked officers.He argued that
these oppressive actions were orchestrated not merely to stifle dissent but to control the burgeoning anti-Zionist sentiment across
Israeli actions reveals a disturbing double standard.Ultimately, instead of suppressing opposition, these measures have only galvanized
public outrage and intensified scrutiny of both French and Israeli policies, Biazar concluded.
This article first appeared/also appeared in Tehran Times
