France – Le Monde, July 02, 2025
Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris who have been detained for more than three years in Iran have also been charged with ‘conspiracy to overthrow the regime’, diplomatic and family sources told AFP on Wednesday.
Two French nationals detained for more than three years in Iran have been charged with “spying” for Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, diplomatic and family sources told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday, July 2. They have also been charged with “conspiracy to overthrow the regime” and “corruption on earth,” the Western diplomatic source and the sister of Cécile Kohler, who is being detained along with Jacques Paris, told AFP.
“We have been informed of these accusations,” the diplomatic source said. “All we know is that they have seen a judge who confirmed the three charges,” said Kohler’s sister, who said the two French nationals were still being denied access to independent lawyers. All three charges carry the death penalty. Iran had previously claimed the two had been arrested for spying but had not revealed exactly whom. Tehran has not confirmed the new charges.
“These charges, if they are confirmed, are completely unfounded,” the French diplomatic source told AFP. “Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris are innocent,” the source added, demanding that the pair are given access to lawyers. The news came a day after the French chargé d’affaires in Iran was able to visit the pair in prison.
