France – L’Alsace, June 03, 2025
The lives of Cécile Kohler, Jacques Paris, and their families were turned upside down on May 7, 2022. That day, the literature teacher from Soultz and her partner were arrested and imprisoned while traveling in Iran. Her sister, Noémie Kohler, denounces an arbitrary arrest and deplorable prison conditions. Here is her testimony.
On May 7, 2022, Noémie Kohler’s parents called to deliver life-changing news:
“My sister Cécile had just been arrested while traveling in Iran with her partner, Jacques Paris. She had always wanted to visit the country. My parents, who were informed directly by the French Foreign Ministry, had just learned that the Iranian authorities were accusing them of espionage.”
A tragic development.
“We were devastated and obviously very worried,” said Noémie Kohler. “Moreover, we remained in the dark for a long time. We didn’t get any details about the circumstances of their arrest until November 23, 2022.”
“Forced confessions”
It was only then that the Kohler family began to understand Iran’s policy toward prisoners and hostages. Noémie and her parents quickly realized that the legal framework was very different from that of France.
“We have very limited interaction with her. We see Cécile less than once a month via videoconference. The calls are heavily monitored. She cannot answer questions about her detention conditions or her health. This forces us to self-censor.”
