the concern of his sister Noémie, spokesperson for the support committee

“My sister is really cut off from the world”, explained Saturday March 11 on franceinfo Noémie Kohler, sister of Cécile Kohler and spokesperson for the Support Committee. A rally for the release of the French teacher and trade unionist detained in Iran for ten months takes place on Saturday afternoon in her hometown, Soultz (Haut-Rhin). Support concerts are also organized this weekend in this town near Mulhouse to raise awareness of the situation of French and Europeans detained in Iran.

franceinfo: When was your last contact with your sister?

Noemie Kohler: My parents have had two calls with my sister since her arrest. The latest is February 22. She was able to call them for about a quarter of an hour. For the two calls and the only consular visit she has had since her arrest, she was under heavy surveillance. So she couldn’t express herself freely.

What are these conditions of detention?

It’s very complicated to get clear information since she can’t express herself freely. We know that she spent several months in solitary confinement. Now she has fellow inmates but they change regularly. She can only go out three times a week in the prison yard, the rest of the time she is locked in her cell. She has only had the right to one book since the beginning of her detention, so for almost a year. We are very worried about his state of health and the repercussions that so much isolation can have. We are asking for his release, that his rights be assured, more consular visits, more contact with his family.

What does the French state tell you?

We are very well supervised by the Quai d’Orsay, which has a cell that listens to us and gives us all the information it can. The problem is that it is very difficult for the Quai d’Orsay and the consular services on site to obtain information. My sister is really cut off from the world. So we know very little. As long as Cécile isn’t on the plane and it hasn’t taken off, we’ll try to keep a cool head and not rejoice too much so as not to be too disappointed.