Frenchman loses appeal of 8-year sentence in Iranian prison

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — An Iranian appeals court has upheld the eight-year prison sentence of a French tourist for taking photos in a prohibited area and asking questions about Iran’s obligatory Islamic hijab for women. Thirty-six-year-old Benjamin Briere was arrested in May 2020 and sentenced in January. He went on a hunger strike on Dec. 25 to protest his treatment in prison in the northeastern city of Mashhad. His Iranian lawyer said Tuesday that “The sentence of eight years and eight months in prison for Benjamin Briere, French tourist was finalized.” Briere was detained for taking pictures in a desert area where photography is prohibited and asking questions on social media about Iran’s obligatory Islamic headscarf for women.