TEHRAN – On Tuesday night, a group of officials from the 16th Anmar Popular Film Festival visited the family of detained translator and cultural activist Mahdiye Esfandiari in France and expressed concern about her ongoing detention and the way Western media has covered her case.
The meeting was attended by Esmail Heshemabadi, deputy director of the Institute of Culture and Arts of the Islamic Revolutionary Cultural Front. Marji Hashemi, Executive Director of the 16th Ammar Popular Film Festival. and Mohammad Hossein Sabouri, the festival’s executive director.
Esfandiari, 39, an academic at Lyon’s Lumière University, has been detained in France since February 28 for social media posts supporting Palestine.
Despite the passage of several months, she remains in temporary custody and no concrete or substantiated charges have been brought against her. Judicial proceedings continue to be characterized by delays and uncertainty.
During the visit, her family stressed that Madier had not committed any illegal act under French law. Her activities, including cultural programs and exchanges with Iran, are primarily educational and are carried out in full compliance with regulations. Much of the published material consists only of translations and reposts of news. Alongside her studies, she also participated in several educational activities.
Her family emphasized that her detention was accompanied by contradictory reports in Western media. These media outlets are distorting facts and attempting to inaccurately frame and misrepresent her entire cultural life. They also pointed out that Ms. Mahdiye is an active person who does not seek recognition or attention, stressing that her focus is only on issues related to Palestine.
Sabouli stressed that Esfandiari’s arrest reflects the influence of her cultural activities, which also raises concerns among Western governments.
Marji Hashemi noted the sensitivity of the current political and social situation, stressing that various actions are being taken against Western governments, which have reached their peak and are causing alarm among governments. Some university professors living in Western countries have actively participated in protests and sent out tweets, some of which have caused a stir.
“The increased public awareness and the onset of social action have caused widespread anxiety and signaled a wave of political awakening, both regionally and globally,” she added. Hashemi expressed hope that Mahdiye Esfandiari would be released soon and be able to attend the 16th Anmar Film Festival.
Madie Esfandiari has lived in France for eight years and works as a translator. She was detained on charges related to her social media activities. The investigation, launched by the Paris public prosecutor’s office in November 2024, focused on multiple active accounts on platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, which prosecutors said incited terrorism and spread religious and ethnic hate speech. The account’s activity gained attention three weeks after Hamas’ attack on Gaza on October 7, 2023.
After Esfandiari’s whereabouts were unknown for several weeks, his family alerted Iranian authorities. Eventually, the Iranian government confirmed that she was in French police custody, but details remained unclear. French authorities released only information about her legal status, sparking international concern and diplomatic efforts.
The Ammar Popular Film Festival was founded in 2010 by a number of Iranian revolutionaries to celebrate films and works of art that promote themes such as resistance and revolution. It is named after Ammar Yasir, a close companion of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Photo: Ammar Popular Film Festival Secretary General Marji Hashemi (left) visits Mahdiye Esfandiari’s family.
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