Bernard Phelan

Bernard Phelan is an Irish-French citizen and a tourism consultant. He was arrested in Iran and received a prison sentence during the national uprising in 2022.

The national uprising of 2022 centered around the “woman, life, freedom” slogan was triggered in response to the murder of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini. The protests began sporadically in several cities and online space but in just a few days it spread to dozens of cities across Iran and the goal of the protesters changed to overthrowing the regime. <symbol-timeline></symbol-timeline>

• <coverage-outsourcing id='52522'> <reference source='https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/06/15/bernard-phelan-recounts-eight-months-of-captivity-in-iran-s-satan-s-block_6032266_7.html'> After his release, Bernard Phelan told Le Monde newspaper that he was arrested by two men in plainclothes in Mashhad, on the sidelines of "massive demonstrations" against the Islamic Republic. He explained that after being handcuffed and blindfolded, he was taken to a detention center, where he heard "all night long, the screams of a detainee under the blows of the officers." Based on this conversation, he was then transferred to Vakil Abad prison in Mashhad. His arrest took place at the same time as the Women, Life, Freedom uprising. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49480'> <reference source='https://www.hra-news.org/2022/hranews/a-38721/'> The Irish Times reported that he was arrested in Iran and is awaiting a decision at Mashhad's Vakil Abad Prison. IranWire later reported that his family was unaware of his arrest for a week, and he was kept in solitary for 10 days after his arrest. He was arrested during the national uprising in 2022. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49483'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/dw_persian/status/1616704241451630592'> He went on a hunger strike in protest of the lack of decision in his case. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49482'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/dw_persian/status/1616703920465739778'> According to DW, his sister told the French News Agency that his brother has accepted to end his hunger strike temporarily at the request of his family. She said her brother told them that if the Islamic Republic's judiciary authorities refuse to make any changes he will go on dry hunger strike again. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49485'> <reference source='https://ir.voanews.com/a/irishman-held-in-iranian-jail-going-blind-in-one-eye-/6952578.html'> After talking to him for the first time, his sister told VOA: > Bernard told me that he can't see clearly with his eyes anymore. She said Mr. Phelan recently fell to the floor and his knee was dislocated, but they have not offered him any help or even a cane. According to the VOA report, he was kept in solitary for several weeks and was later taken to Mashhad's Vakil Abad Prison where he is being held now. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49481'> <reference source='https://www.reuters.com/world/franco-irish-citizen-sentenced-65-years-iran-health-worsens-family-2023-03-08/'> His sister Caroline Phelan announced that the Islamic Republic has sentenced her brother to six and a half years in prison. According to the statement, he was charged with providing information to another country. His family reported that he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison in the first trial session but in the second session, his sentence increased to six and a half years. His sister said his eyesight has deteriorated and his life is in danger. She later said his attorney was not allowed to visit or attend to his client before and during the trial. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49486'> <reference source='https://ir.voanews.com/a/6995562.html?nocache=1'> Two of his relatives held a press conference in Dublin and demanded his freedom. According to the VOA, his relatives said they expect the Republic of Ireland's government to keep its embassy in Tehran closed until the fate of Bernard Phelan's case is clear. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49484'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/VOAfarsi/status/1636045349679669254'> His sister told VOA that her brother has become a pawn and a hostage for the Islamic Republic's deal with Europe. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='49717'> <reference source='https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41101768.html'> His sister Caroline Phelan told Ireland's RTA that her 64-year-old brother is going blind as a result of lack of medical treatment after surgery. She asked people to sign a petition for her brother's release. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='50463'> <reference source='https://rb.gy/v28ec'> Despite several illnesses, he is still being denied sufficient medical service. His sister told IranWire that Bernard is suffering from heart disease and Arthritis and had undergone eye surgery. She told IranWire that they receive written messages from her brother weekly. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='51116'> <reference source='https://rb.gy/kmqht'> French President Emmanuel Macron released a statement on Twitter announcing the release of Benjamin Brier and Bernard Phelan. The President of the French Republic also wrote that the authorities of this country are continuing their efforts to return "all the French citizens who are still in detention in Iran.” </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='51474'> <reference source='https://twitter.com/LCP/status/1658494506097065992?s=20'> French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna announced the health deterioration of Benjamin Brier and Bernard Phelan and announced that the two are now hospitalized. Ms. Colonna told the French parliament: > We have constantly asked the Iranian authorities to release Bernard Phelan and Benjamin Brier on humanitarian grounds, both of whom have become sick and weak to the point where they are both still hospitalized. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='52521'> <reference source='https://www.lemonde.fr/en/france/article/2023/06/15/bernard-phelan-recounts-eight-months-of-captivity-in-iran-s-satan-s-block_6032266_7.html'> In an interview with Le Monde newspaper, Bernard Phelan gave a description of the period of detention and interrogation by the security institutions of the Islamic Republic. Mr. Phelan told Le Monde newspaper that after being transferred to Mashhad's Vakil Abad prison, he was interrogated for weeks, and the security officers filmed all his interrogation sessions. Mr. Phelan also added that one day his interrogator cut off the video camera in the middle of the interrogation and offered him a "cooperation" deal, but he refused. In this interview, he said that despite being aware of the dangers against homosexuals in Iran, he revealed his sexual identity as a homosexual in response to his interrogator’s questions. In this interview, Bernard Phelan also talked about the memories and conditions of Vakil Abad prison and added that Ward 6-1 of Vakil Abad prison, which houses political prisoners and foreign nationals, was known as the "Devil's Block". </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53435'> <reference source='https://x.com/glennjmason/status/1683368261784682497?s=20'> In an interview with an Irish television channel, RTA, Bernard Phelan described his situation in the prisons of the Islamic Republic and the psychological tortures inflicted on him. He said that now due to these tortures, he is not in a good mental state and some everyday things can bring back bad memories of his time in prison. In this interview, Phelan mentioned his nightmares and added that he is now undergoing treatment and medication. "I knew I was going to get out eventually, but I didn't know if I was going to be out in six months or six years," he said of his undecided status in prison. Phelan also said that the judge he encountered told him that "you will die in prison". </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>
• <coverage-outsourcing id='53436'> <reference source='https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/07/24/freed-iran-hostage-bernard-phelan-i-cant-understand-why-we-are-not-getting-support/'> In an interview with the Irish Times, Bernard Phelan announced that after his release, he suffered from "post-traumatic stress disorder" and could not forget the bitter memories of that time. Mr. Phelan said the saddest day in the early days of his detention was the day he was falsely told he was to return to France. He added: > They know very well how to make a person hope and then take his hope away." I was not physically afraid, but they did what they called "white torture"; Which means giving hope and then disappointing the prisoner. This is mental torture. He went on to say: > We were key to the exchange of prisoners with Europe. We were freed because the Belgians released an Iranian prisoner in exchange for four Europeans. "But I had not committed a crime and I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. </reference> </coverage-outsourcing>