France Summons Iran's Ambassador and Calls Detention of Its Citizens Kidnapping

France once again referred to its three imprisoned citizens in Iran as "hostages" and summoned the Iranian ambassador in Paris to protest their situation. The French Foreign Ministry stated that the Iranian ambassador was summoned on Friday, January 21, and France's strong objection to the "intolerable conditions" of the French prisoners in Iran was conveyed to him. The ministry emphasized that the conditions of some of these prisoners "constitute torture under international law." It labeled the French citizens as "hostages of the Islamic Republic of Iran" and demanded their immediate release. The three imprisoned French citizens in Iran include Cecile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and another individual identified only as Olivier. Cecile Kohler and her partner Jacques Paris were arrested in May 2022 and reportedly imprisoned in Ward 209 of Evin Prison on charges of "espionage," an accusation strongly denied by their families. The third French citizen, Olivier, has been imprisoned in Iran since Fall 2022. The French Foreign Ministry reiterated its warning from a few days ago, advising French citizens not to travel to Iran or to leave immediately if they are already there due to the risk of arbitrary arrest and detention. The French Foreign Minister had also stated a few days ago that the three imprisoned citizens are "in conditions similar to torture." French officials have adopted a harsher tone regarding Iran in recent weeks, referencing issues such as Tehran's nuclear program, regional activities, and the detention of European citizens. The summoning of the Iranian ambassador in Paris occurred one day after the Iranian judiciary reported the death of a Swiss citizen in Semnan prison, labeling it a "suicide." The Swiss Foreign Ministry called for a thorough investigation into the death of its citizen in Semnan prison and requested detailed information from the Iranian government regarding the reasons for his arrest and death. The United States, European countries, and human rights organizations have referred to the detention of Western citizens by the Islamic Republic as "hostage diplomacy," claiming that the Iranian government uses the detention of citizens for "bargaining in negotiations" with the West. According to Reuters, approximately 20 European citizens from 10 different countries are currently imprisoned in Iran. In one of the latest cases, an Italian journalist named Cecilia Sala was arrested in Iran on December 20 and was imprisoned for about three weeks. Reports indicate that Iranian officials and representatives from France, the UK, and Germany are scheduled to meet in Geneva on Monday, January 24, to discuss bilateral issues and the future of nuclear negotiations ahead of Donald Trump's return to the White House.