Louis Arnaud, a French banking consultant and former hostage, has revealed chilling details of his two-year ordeal in Iran’s infamous Evin Prison. Speaking to France 24, Arnaud recounted the relentless psychological and physical torment he endured, shedding light on the Iranian regime’s ongoing use of hostage diplomacy as a tool for international leverage.
Arnaud was detained in September 2022 during a leisure trip to Iran and sentenced to five years on baseless national security charges. For six months, he was confined in an 8-square-meter, windowless cell, perpetually illuminated and under constant surveillance. “You don’t know if it’s day or night,” he shared. “You live, eat, and sleep on the floor under constant watch. The guards’ screams, more like barking than shouting, never ceased.”
Evin Prison, notorious for its human rights abuses, became a grim reality for Arnaud. He described the conditions as a systematic attempt to strip prisoners of their identity and humanity. “This is torture; let’s call it what it is. The goal is to destroy you so that during interrogations, you’ll confess to whatever they dictate,” he said. The prison’s halls echoed with cries of suffering, with prisoners bearing visible signs of abuse, including broken limbs and strangulation marks.
Arnaud’s account highlights the broader issue of Iran’s practice of detaining foreign nationals as bargaining chips. He noted that he was among at least seven French citizens held by the Iranian regime in recent years, with three still imprisoned. His testimony also spotlighted the plight of others, such as Ahmadreza Djalali, a Swedish-Iranian academic facing execution.
Interview w/ Louis Arnaud, jailed by Iranian regime for 2 yrs.
"Everything is done so y're deprived of yr humanity."
He mentions conditions of Ward209, meeting prisoners w/ 5-30 yrs prison &recalls his time w/ Mohsen Shekari, arrested after #IranProtests &later executed by regime pic.twitter.com/FfjxIvPXhP— Friends of a Free Iran – EP (@FOFI_EP) January 17, 2025
Beyond foreign detainees, Arnaud emphasized the suffering of thousands of Iranian citizens imprisoned for opposing the regime. Many face brutal torture, long sentences, or execution. “This isn’t just about hostages,” Arnaud said. “It’s about systemic abuse that has gone unchecked for decades.”
Arnaud also criticized the international community’s tepid response. “For 45 years, this has been the reality in Iran, but it has intensified. European leaders must act decisively to combat this state-sponsored human trafficking and brutality.”
His firsthand account serves as a plea for global solidarity against the Iranian regime’s actions. “This isn’t just my story,” he concluded. “It’s the story of thousands still suffering. The world must not remain silent.”
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