TEHRAN – A coalition of 165 Iranian women athletes has implored UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to intervene in the case of Mahdieh Esfandiari, an Iranian academic held in France. Detained since February for expressing solidarity with the people of Gaza, Esfandiari faces charges linked to social media posts.

The athletes condemned the French authorities' "illegal and inhumane" treatment, citing solitary confinement and denial of care. Demanding Esfandiari's "unconditional release," they decried France's attempt to silence truth. Esfandiari herself stated, "Genocide is the disgrace of humanity."

The letter warned that silence in the face of this injustice sides with oppression and that history will record such complicity. They called for a united global voice against repression, emphasizing that recognizing Palestine requires action against injustice, not suppression of free thought.

Despite Iran's Foreign Ministry protests and demands for legal justification, France has provided no solid evidence, while prosecutors claim Esfandiari is under investigation for "glorifying terrorism," a charge dismissed as politically motivated.