French man detained in Iran since 2022 has been freed: Macron

Paris, June 13 (IANS/DPA) A French citizen, who had been detained in Iran for nearly two years, has been released and will be back in France on Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron said.”Louis Arnaud is free. Tomorrow he will be in France after being imprisoned in Iran for far too long,” Macron said late Wednesday on social media platform X.Arnaud, who is now 36, was arrested on September 28, 2022, while in Iran for tourism purposes. His detention came during a wave of protests triggered by the death of a young Kurdish woman, Masha Amini. Authorities accused him of taking part in demonstrations.Arnaud, who was sentenced to five years in prison for propaganda and undermining Iran’s security, had been held in the notorious Evin prison in Tehran, according to the French Foreign Ministry.On Wednesday evening, Macron thanked Oman and all those who had worked towards Arnaud’s return home. The French President also called on Iran to immediately release three other nationals detained there.France had repeatedly accused Iran of “hostage diplomacy” following the arrest of some of its citizens.A few weeks ago, Paris had complained about “inhumane and appalling conditions in which our compatriots are being held” and spoke of absurd charges and sham trials.–IANS/DPAkhz