A VIGIL FOR Bernard Phelan, an Irish citizen who has so far spent 173 days in jail in Iran, was held today outside the Iranian Embassy.
The vigil, named “Bring a flower”, saw Phelan’s close friends, family and supporters leaving flowers outside the embassy to represent each day Phelan has spent in jail so far.
Supporters showed up with pictures of the 64-year-old and slogans including “Release Bernard Phelan” and “Free Bernard Phelan”.
Members of his family and friends passed flowers among the crowd and many cars beeped in solidarity with the group.
“We’re here today because my father Vincent has written several letters to the ambassador,” Bernard’s sister Caroline Masse-Phelan said at the vigil.
John Fallon, a family friend, told The Journal Phelan will be medically examined next week which he described as a “good sign”.
“For him to be released he has to be given a medical, so fingers crossed. That might be a sign of things to come.” said Fallon.
This month Phelan, 64, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison by the Iranian government after being accused of “providing information to an enemy country” – a charge which Phelan and his family denies.
Fallon said:
All we’re trying to do is put a tiny bit of pressure on both the Iranian authorities and the French authorities to come to some form of agreement that will allow the person to be released for the charges levelled against him – which are espionage.
“The man was bringing French tourists to Iran. He’s been accused of photographing a mosque. He is not a spy, I can promise you that,” Fallon said.
Vincent Phelan, Bernard Phelan’s father, signed a letter to the Ambassador outside the gates. The letter requested that Iran release his “64-year-old, sick son that has done nothing wrong in your country.”
The letter continues: “He has spent nearly six months locked up in Iran for nothing. He is innocent and very sick. I need to have him home, by my side.”
Before signing off, Vincent Phelan, 96, adds “My time left on this earth is short and I want my son beside me now.”
Caroline and Vincent Phelan then walked across the road and hand delivered the letter into the embassy’s postbox. Family members and friends then left flowers and posters at the gates of the embassy.
Masse-Phelan spoke to the crowd: “We’re begging for the release of Bernard. We don’t have time for him to stay any longer in prison. He’s an Irish citizen, who’s very ill.”
The Phelan family have since launched a petition and campaign to ask both the Irish and French government to help free the Tipperary man from Iran. The campaign says “Bernard’s release is urgent based on humanitarian grounds.”
Masse-Phelan told The Journal that the family has written to the ambassador requesting to visit Bernard and “the immediate release of Bernard on humanitarian grounds because he’s very ill.”
Masse-Phelan added:
We’re waiting for Bernard to hopefully be pardoned and released on humanitarian grounds because his health is really terrible.
“Bernard has a cardiovascular illness and also a bone illness, and he had an operation in August for his eyes but hasn’t been treated since.”
“He’s going blind basically. So he needs to be released imminently.”
Martin, a first-cousin of Phelan, said it was important for them to be there to give support to Phelan’s sister adding that it was a “very difficult” time for Phelan.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International today called for the release of Bernard Phelan and in a statement said: “Pending his release, the Iranian authorities must immediately grant him access to adequate healthcare, including all necessary medication and treatment.
“The authorities must also ensure that he is provided with regular phone calls to his family, access to a lawyer of his own choosing, and unhindered regular consular assistance from the Irish and French.” the organisation added.
Last month, Phelan was said to be on a hunger strike and was suffering badly due to not receiving the correct aftercare for an eye operation he had last summer.
According to the campaign, Phelan has had to “endure harsh prison conditions, including weeks in solitary confinement and freezing temperatures,”.
Phelan, who holds dual-citizenship in both Ireland and France, was working in Iran as a tourism consultant, according to his family.
Phelan was taking pictures of a mosque in Mashad in October 2022 when he was stopped and arrested. At the time of his arrest late last year, he was travelling on a French passport.
His arrest also took place at the same time as major protests against the Iranian government’s regime which saw millions of citizens take to the streets.
Fallon said Phelan travelled to Iran on his French passport, as the Tipperary man has lived in Paris for 30 years.
Fallon added: “Tragically, if he had travelled on his Irish passport, this wouldn’t have happened. But because he was French, according to the Iranians, he’s in jail. And he won’t survive.”
At the beginning of the year, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin spoke with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian over the phone and reiterated the request that Phelan be released on behalf of the Irish Government.
Masse-Phelan told The Journal that they have “great support from the government” and are in contact with the family “all the time”. She added that Minister Martin is “very aware of the situation”.
According to Masse-Phelan her brother is suffering from depression and is unable to see a way out, she said he “is afraid of what could happen to him there” and urged the public to sign the petition.
The campaign is also hosting a musical evening tomorrow, in the Irish Culture Centre in Paris, France tomorrow to raise awareness of his arrest and sentence.
The event was chosen based on letters that Phelan has sent to his family about what he misses from his life.
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