On October 14, 2025, the Iranian judiciary sentenced two French citizens imprisoned in the country to lengthy prison terms. Cécile Kohler, a teacher, and her partner, Jacques Paris, were detained in May 2022 and initially accused of attempting to incite protests. An Iranian court has issued a preliminary ruling sentencing both French nationals to long prison terms on charges of espionage and collaboration with foreign intelligence agencies.
The judiciary-affiliated news website Mizan Online either omitted or distorted important details in its October 14 report. According to the report, the two individuals, whose names were not officially disclosed, were arrested in March 2023 and have since been convicted of multiple charges, including spying for the French intelligence agency, conspiracy against national security, and intelligence cooperation with Israel. The defendants were identified as “employees of the French intelligence service” and detained on March 9, 2023.
The report stated that the indictment was 715 pages long and resulted in seven court sessions, during which the defendants and their appointed lawyers presented their defense. Iranian officials claimed that the defendants had access to legal representation throughout the investigation and trial and were allowed to contact their families. All proceedings were conducted with a judiciary-appointed translator present, according to the report.
Read the full article on the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security.
Alex Grinberg is a Senior Fellow at the Turan Research Center.