Iranian Students Gathering for the Release of Mahdieh Esfandiari
WANA (Oct 21) – On Tuesday, October 21, in the heart of Tehran, the street of Nofel Loshato turned into a scene of solidarity and protest.
On the eve of the trial of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian graduate student imprisoned in France, hundreds of students, artists, and cultural activists gathered in front of the French Embassy to demand her immediate release — chanting one phrase over and over again: “Free Mahdieh Now!”
The demonstration, covered by local and international journalists, became a vivid reminder of how a single case can expose deep contradictions between Western rhetoric and reality — between the ideals of “liberty” and the practice of political suppression.
A group of students attend a gathering in support of an Iranian student prisoner in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, in front of the French embassy in Tehran, Iran, October 21, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
234 Days of Solitary Confinement — for a Single Sentence
Mahdieh Esfandiari, a master’s student in linguistics at a university in Lyon, was arrested on March 1, 2025 — just ten days before her planned return to Iran.
Her alleged crime: running a Telegram channel supporting the people of Palestine.
Since then, she has spent 234 days in solitary confinement at the Fresnes Prison near Paris. In a country that calls itself the “cradle of free speech,” a young student has been silenced — not for violence or hate speech, but for standing with the oppressed.
A group of students attend a gathering in support of an Iranian student prisoner in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, in front of the French embassy in Tehran, Iran, October 21, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
The Red Tape of Silence
Among the protesters stood a young woman with a strip of red tape over her mouth — a striking symbol of censorship. She told journalists: “This tape represents the silence forced upon truth. France preaches freedom of speech, yet imprisons a woman for defending Palestinian children. This is not liberty — it’s hypocrisy.”
Handwritten placards carried by students spoke volumes:
“234 Days of Solitude for a Sentence!”
“In the Land of Democracy, Is Compassion a Crime?”
“France Has Imprisoned the Voice of Palestine.”
A group of students attend a gathering in support of an Iranian student prisoner in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, in front of the French embassy in Tehran, Iran, October 21, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
When Colors Speak Louder Than Words
Sitting on the pavement with her watercolor set, a young art student painted the image of Mahdieh surrounded by the colors of the Palestinian flag.
“I’m here because silence is betrayal,” she said. “If they’ve locked her in a cell, then we will turn every street into her classroom — every color into her voice.”
Nearby, several female artists painted a striking mural: a blackened Eiffel Tower fractured in half, with the Star of David imposed at its center — a visual protest against what they called “the capture of French liberty by Zionist politics.”
“France, Stand on the Right Side of History”
One student raised his voice toward the embassy gates: “If France truly believes in freedom, it must free Mahdieh Esfandiari. The right side of history is always with justice — never with oppression.”
Another student, her eyes filled with tears, added: “I don’t even know her personally. But she is one of us — a daughter, a friend, a student. Remaining silent in the face of her suffering means becoming complicit in injustice.”
A group of students attend a gathering in support of an Iranian student prisoner in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, in front of the French embassy in Tehran, Iran, October 21, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
University Statement: The Contradiction of French Human Rights
At the conclusion of the rally, representatives of several Iranian student organizations read a joint statement condemning the arrest.
The statement declared: “Mahdieh Esfandiari’s detention is a blatant violation of human rights and freedom of expression. France, which claims to champion women’s rights and democracy, has imprisoned a young woman simply for expressing solidarity with the people of Palestine. This exposes the political hypocrisy behind its so-called values of liberty and equality.”
The statement called on international organizations, universities, and human rights advocates to take urgent action for Esfandiari’s unconditional release, urging the world not to remain silent in the face of what they described as “a politically motivated hostage-taking.”
A group of students attend a gathering in support of an Iranian student prisoner in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, in front of the French embassy in Tehran, Iran, October 21, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
Hope Through Diplomacy
Meanwhile, Iranian officials have confirmed that diplomatic channels are actively pursuing Esfandiari’s case.
The Deputy Foreign Minister stated that negotiations for her exchange with French nationals detained in Iran have entered their final stages, expressing hope that “Mahdieh will soon return home.”
Her sister also told reporters that Mahdieh’s health had deteriorated in prison, adding: “Her only crime was translating and sharing news about Palestine. Despite everything, her spirit remains strong — and so does our hope.”
Mahdieh Esfandiari Placed on Prisoner Exchange List
WANA (Oct 21) – The Deputy Minister for Consular Affairs, Parliament, and Iranians Abroad at Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the French government’s arrest of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian citizen, as an act of “hostage-taking,” calling it inconsistent with Paris’s human rights claims. Vahid Jalalzadeh, the Deputy Minister for Consular Affairs, Parliament, and […]
The Last Brushstroke: “Freedom Is Not Far”
As the demonstration drew to an end, the same art student lifted her finished painting — Mahdieh’s calm face framed by the colors of freedom.
Beneath the image, in delicate handwriting, were the words:“Freedom Is Not Far.”
And perhaps, in that single sentence, the crowd found the essence of their protest —
a cry for justice, a defense of truth,
and a reminder that real freedom begins where silence ends.
A group of students attend a gathering in support of an Iranian student prisoner in France, Mahdieh Esfandiari, in front of the French embassy in Tehran, Iran, October 21, 2025. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
