France – Ouest France, April 23, 2025
After their release, French hostages often face the same difficulties when reintegrating. A conference on hostage rights will be held in Saint-Brieuc (Côtes-d’Armor) on Friday, April 25, 2025, with the participation of five former hostages.
“You have been removed from our records because you haven’t checked in for more than two years.” This is the response Benjamin Brière received when he contacted France Travail after his release in May 2023, following three years of detention in Iran. His case is one of many examples of the struggles French ex-hostages face upon returning.
The conference, dedicated to the rights of hostages, is scheduled for Friday, April 25, 2025, at the law faculty on the Mazier campus in Saint-Brieuc. It is organized by the local branch of the University of Rennes Law School, the Saint-Brieuc Bar Association, and the NGO SOS Otages.
In addition to legal experts and academics, five former hostages will share their experiences: Olivier Dubois (Mali), Mortaza Behboudi (Afghanistan), Pierre Legrand (Niger), Benjamin Brière (Iran), and Ingrid Betancourt (Colombia), who will participate via video conference.
“There is an urgent need to legislate”
