TEHRAN- On Tuesday night, a group of officials from the 16th edition of the Ammar Popular Film Festival visited the family of Mahdieh Esfandiari, a detained translator and cultural activist in France, to express their concerns regarding her ongoing detention and the way Western media are covering her case. 

The meeting was attended by Esmaeil Heshemabadi, Deputy of the Cultural and Artistic Institute of the Islamic Revolution Cultural Front; Marzieh Hashemi, Secretary of the 16th Ammar Popular Film Festival; and Mohammad Hossein Sabouri, the festival’s executive secretary. 

Esfandiari, a 39-year-old academic at Lyon’s Lumière University, has been in detention in France since February 28 due to her social media posts supporting Palestine.  

Despite several months passing, she remains in temporary custody, with no specific or substantiated charges filed against her. The judicial process continues to be marked by delays and uncertainty.

Her family emphasized during the visit that Mahdieh has committed no illegal act under French law. Her activities, which include cultural programs and interactions with Iran, are primarily educational, conducted in full compliance with regulations. Much of the published material consists solely of translation and reposting of news. Alongside her studies, she also participated in some educational initiatives.

Her family highlighted that her detention has been accompanied by conflicting narratives from Western media. These outlets have sought to distort the facts and misrepresent her entirely cultural activities, framing them inaccurately. They also noted that Mahdieh is a proactive individual who has not sought recognition or attention, emphasizing that her focus has solely been on issues related to Palestine.

Sabouri for his part, underscored that Esfandiari’s arrest reflects the impact of her cultural work, which has even raised concerns among Western governments. 

Marzieh Hashemi pointed to the current sensitive political and social climate, stressing that various actions are being taken against Western governments, reaching a peak that has caused alarm among them. Some university professors residing in Western countries have actively participated in protests and issued tweets, with some facing repercussions.

“The heightened awareness among public opinion and the initiation of social activism have caused widespread anxiety, signaling a wave of political awakening both regionally and globally,” she added. Hashemi expressed hope that Mahdieh Esfandiari will be released soon and will be able to attend the 16th Ammar Film Festival.

Mahdieh Esfandiari has lived in France for eight years and works as a translator. She was detained on charges related to social media activity. The investigation, launched in November 2024 by the Paris Prosecutor’s Office, focused on several active accounts on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, which prosecutors claimed incited terrorism and spread hate speech based on religion and ethnicity. The accounts’ activity gained attention three weeks after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Gaza. 

For weeks, Esfandiari’s whereabouts were unknown, prompting her family to alert Iranian authorities. Eventually, the Iranian government confirmed she was in French police custody, but details remained scarce. French authorities only disclosed information about her legal status, raising international concerns and diplomatic efforts.

Ammar Popular Film Festival was established in 2010 by a number of Iranian revolutionary figures to honor film and art products promoting topics such as resistance and revolution. It was named after Ammar Yasir, a close companion of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Photo: Marzieh Hashemi, Secretary of the Ammar Popular Film Festival (L), visits the family of Mahdieh Esfandiari.

SAB/