France – Le Parisien, June 14, 2025
The anxiety is growing for the family of Cécile Kohler, who has been held hostage in Iran for three years, as tensions escalate between Iran and Israel. Her family has lost all contact.
Concern among Kohler’s relatives continues to mount in the face of deadly exchanges between Iran and Israel. On Saturday, Noémie Kohler told Le Parisien–Aujourd’hui en France that she has been “without news” of her sister, who is imprisoned in Tehran with her partner Jacques Paris.
“Looking at maps available online, I saw that several strikes occurred about two kilometers from Section 209 of Evin Prison,” she said, referring to the notorious facility known for its harsh conditions. That section, designated for political prisoners, is directly controlled by Iranian intelligence services. The family’s last contact with the couple was on May 28.
The Israeli army has announced that it is “currently” striking several sites in Iran.
“We are extremely anxious,” said Noémie. “We have no way of knowing how they are doing, if they even know what’s happening… We imagine they must have heard the explosions.” On Friday, Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iranian military and nuclear sites, prompting a ballistic missile response from Tehran. Several Israeli strikes reportedly hit areas north of the Iranian capital—where Evin Prison is located.
No Security Assurances
Noémie Kohler says she has “no way of contacting” her sister or Jacques, who are “completely at the mercy of the Iranian authorities.” Typically, communication is allowed “less than once a month, under very difficult conditions, entirely at the whim of their jailers.” Since the latest escalation, there has been total silence.
