Dear friend,

Welcome to our Hostage Briefing newsletter. We have a new episode out now on German citizen and U.S. resident, Jamshid Sharmahd. In July 2020, Jamshid was kidnapped in Dubai by agents of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and taken to Iran where he is being held today. His life is in imminent danger as he is at risk of being sentenced to death any day now. We speak to his daughter, Gazelle Sharmahd who tells us what we can do to help save her father's life.

New Episode Out Now

In July 2020, Jamshid Sharmahd was kidnapped in Dubai by agents of Iran's Ministry of Intelligence and taken to Iran where he is being held today. Jamshid is a German citizen and U.S. resident who has lived in California for over 17 years. His life is in imminent danger as he may be sentenced to death and executed any day now.

On this episode, we have the honour of speaking to Gazelle Sharmahd, Jamshid's daughter once again. She brings us up to speed with what has happened since we last spoke one year ago. We discuss the ongoing revolution in Iran and how this has affected Jamshid's case.

Gazelle also tells us what the German and U.S. governments need to do better and how NGOs, journalists and the public can help.

Hostage & Wrongful Detention News

Families and supporters of French citizens held hostage in Iran held a rally in Paris to urge their release

• On 28 January, France 24 reported that families of the French citizens jailed in Iran held a rally to urge their release, warning that their loved ones were enduring a sometimes years-long "inhuman" psychological and physical ordeal. Seven French citizens are currently held by Iran, according to the French Foreign Ministry. The rally in Trocadero Square, central Paris was attended by families and supporters of four of the French citizens held.
• We've interviewed the families and campaigners for two of these French hostages - Fariba Adelkhah and Benjamin Briere.
• Listen to our episode on Fariba Adelkhah here with her colleague, Sandrine Perrot.
• Listen to our episode on Benjamin Briere here with his sister, Blandine Briere.

Louis Arnaud, French citizen held in Iran since 28 September 2022

• On 26 January, France 24 reported that one of the seven French citizens currently held in Iran is Louis Arnaud, revealing his identity for the first time. Louis Arnaud, 35 was arrested on 28 September 2022 as he was visiting Iran, his parents Jean-Michel and Sylvie said in a statement to AFP. They said their son resumed a dream of seeing the world, which was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic where he set off from Paris and visited Italy, Greece, Turkey, Georgia and Armenia, arriving in Iran on 2 September 2022. He has been held in Tehran's Evin Prison.

Siamak Namazi, American hostage in Iran ended his hunger strike

• On 23 January, Siamak Namazi who has been held hostage in Iran since October 2015 ended his seven-day hunger strike in Evin Prison. You can read more about the reasons for his hunger strike and his statement in the press release issued by his lawyer, Jared Genser.

Massud Mossaheb, Austrian hostage in Iran marks four years being detained

• 76-year-old Massud Mossaheb is an Austrian citizen from Vienna. He has been wrongfully imprisoned in Iran since 29 January 2019. Amnesty International has called for his release. His family released a statement on the fourth anniversary of his arrest using the Free Massud Twitter account.
• His family also shared the following update with us on 24 January:
  • "He has his last radiotherapy session on Saturday for his prostate cancer and is suffering from quite a lot of side effects. While being very resilient, he is physically weak, can barely walk and is under a lot of stress due to the effects of all the physical and psychological trauma he had to endure. He's having nightmares, flashbacks, anxiety etc. He is currently applying for a prolongation of his medical furlough in order to take care of the follow-ups of his cancer and his numerous other medical issues, including long needed surgeries."

Myanmar's military junta revokes Australian citizen, Sean Turnell's prison amnesty

• On 26 January, ABC News (Australia) reported that Myanmar's military junta revoked Sean Turnell's prison pardon and summoned him to face court. Professor Turnell, an academic at Macquarie University and an economic advisor to Myanmar's ousted de-facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, was arbitrarily detained for 650 days in Myanmar following a brutal military coup. He was released and allowed to come back home to Australia in November last year.

Chau Van Kham, Australian held in Vietnam

• Chau Van Kham, a 72-year-old Vietnamese Australian, was detained within hours of arriving in Vietnam in 2019 and sentenced to 12 years in prison for being a member of the political party, Viet Tan. Amnesty International considers Kham a prisoner of conscience - detained solely for his peaceful beliefs, and has called for his immediate and unconditional release so he can be safely reunited with his family in Australia. January marks three years since Kham was detained and his third birthday behind bars.

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Ways To Help

• Sign the petitions to free Jamshid Sharmahd, Benjamin Briere, Massud Mossaheb and Chau Van Kham.
• If you live in a country with a fellow citizen wrongfully detained or held hostage abroad, please write to your politicians asking what they're doing to free this person and what are they doing to make sure this doesn't happen again to other citizens like you.

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This newsletter is the best way to keep up to date with our work including the cases we're working on. If you haven't already, please do subscribe to this newsletter here. If you have any questions, you can get in touch here.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about hostage diplomacy and for showing the hostages and their families that they're not forgotten, that they're not alone, that there are good caring people out there who want to help.

Best Wishes,

Daren Nair

Creator & Host of Pod Hostage Diplomacy.