Louis Arnaud on Section 209 of Evin Prison: The Goal is to Destroy the Human Dignity of Prisoners

Louis Arnaud, seven months after his release from prison in Iran, spoke about the deplorable conditions of Iranian prisons in his first television interview. This French citizen, who was freed on June 14, 2024, after more than two years of imprisonment in Iran, returned to Paris and, in an interview with France 24, referred to the treatment of European and Iranian prisoners in Iranian prisons, particularly in security detention centers, stating that the way Iranian officials deal with detainees is aimed at stripping them of their 'human dignity.' Arnaud initially stated that his purpose for participating in this interview was to testify about the conditions in Iranian prisons, especially Evin Prison, and the treatment of prisoners, particularly 'foreign hostages,' as well as to draw European officials' attention to the fate of foreign and Iranian prisoners. Louis Arnaud noted that at one point, seven French citizens were imprisoned in Iran, three of whom are still detained, and reminded that citizens from other European countries are also present in Iranian prisons, including Ahmadreza Jalali, a dual Iranian-Swedish citizen who has been imprisoned for about nine years and faces the death penalty. Arnaud emphasized that during his detention, he had no contact with other French prisoners, as Olivier Grondin was imprisoned in Shiraz, while Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris were in security block 209 of Evin. Describing the general conditions of block 209, Arnaud stated that the cells are about 8 square meters in size and lack windows. The lights are on 24 hours a day to prevent any distinction between day and night, and security cameras monitor all movements of the prisoners. Arnaud claims that in this block, prisoners are treated 'like animals,' and officials 'do everything to strip individuals of their identity and human dignity.' According to him, prisoners are deprived of beds, and eating, sleeping, and sitting all occur on the ground. Guards constantly shout at the prisoners, and they are allowed to leave their solitary cells for fresh air only once or twice a week for 30 minutes. Arnaud stated that communication for prisoners in block 209 with the outside world is 'completely' cut off, and only the sounds of guards shouting or other prisoners can be heard. He mentioned that communication with family members, especially the embassy of their home country, is also 'forbidden.' He noted that during his six-month detention, he had only three brief calls with his family, which were closely monitored by officials, and sometimes prisoners are forced to say certain things to their families, turning phone calls into a 'double psychological burden' rather than improving the prisoners' conditions. Referring to the conditions in block 209 as 'torture,' Arnaud stated that the staff of this detention center have become 'masters of torture,' and every time a detainee is taken for interrogation with their eyes blindfolded, torture is repeated to 'force them' to confess to what the authorities want. He mentioned that sometimes these 'confessions' must be signed, and in cases involving Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, they are even filmed. This French citizen emphasized that every detainee has their own way of coping with the conditions and surviving, stating that there is no easy day in this prison, and 'every day, every hour, and every minute is a battle for survival' that gradually drains all of a person's strength. Arnaud, who emphasized that he himself was imprisoned in this block for only six months, which felt like 'six years,' reminded that Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris have been in these conditions for three years, and it is 'impossible' to imagine the level of physical and psychological violence they have endured, thus 'everything must be done for their freedom and that of Olivier Grondin.' He expressed complete trust in the French ambassador in Tehran, stating that any potential interactions and negotiations in this regard occur behind the scenes, and he has no information about them. Regarding the Islamic Republic's treatment of any political dissent, Arnaud stated that he was shocked by the 'level of violence and cruel behavior' towards protesters. He recalled seeing 'hundreds of detainees among tens of thousands of arrested protesters' at the beginning of his detention, which coincided with the suppression of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests. He stated that the government imposes 'no limits on the level of physical, psychological, or emotional torture and abuse' against Iranian protesters. He testified to having seen detainees with 'broken ribs, hands, or legs' and others with 'marks on their necks from attempts to strangle them,' which was 'only the physical part of their torture.' This French citizen mentioned that during the second part of his imprisonment, he was with many political prisoners from various movements who had sentences ranging from 5 to 30 years, and some of them have been executed or are awaiting execution. Arnaud emphasized that he had not participated in 'any protests' and was sentenced to five years in prison based on 'completely baseless' charges, adding that most detainees after the death of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini had only participated in peaceful protests with ordinary demands, but the Islamic Republic considers these protests 'illegal' and does not tolerate them. He mentioned having seen Mohsen Shekari, a 23-year-old who was executed on December 7, 2022, for the charge of moharebeh (waging war against God), during his initial detention. Arnaud added that Shekari had told him a few weeks before his execution that he had joined the protests only to have a normal life and a regular job to support himself and have some freedom. This French citizen did not explain when and under what conditions their meeting and conversation took place. Ultimately, this former prisoner emphasized the need for urgent efforts to free all 'European hostages,' addressing the officials of these countries, stating that the Islamic Republic has been using 'hostage diplomacy' for decades, but this method has intensified in recent years, and therefore, European governments should reconsider their tone and methods of interaction with this regime and the severity of their condemnation of its 'cruel behavior.' Cecilia Sala, an Italian journalist who was detained in Iran for three weeks and released on January 8, also spoke about her detention conditions in a television interview. On Sunday, January 30, Sala emphasized that she had thought she would remain in detention for a longer period and revealed 10-hour interrogations with blindfolds. In her interview with the 'Nova' network, she emphasized that she was kept in solitary confinement and had her glasses and contact lenses taken from her. Sala also described similar conditions in the detention center, stating: 'The neon lights were on 24 hours a day. In those conditions, after days of not speaking, you gradually lose trust in your mind. You no longer trust your memory, and even answering the interrogators' questions becomes a difficult psychological game.' Sala's detention occurred after Italy arrested an Iranian-Swiss businessman named Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi at Milan airport, who was wanted by the US for violating sanctions. One day after Sala's release, it was announced that Mohammad Abedini had also been released from detention in Italy and returned to Iran, a matter that, despite the Iranian officials' denial, fueled speculation about Sala being 'taken hostage,' a topic that Louis Arnaud also referred to as 'hostage diplomacy.'