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NEWS > EVERYONE ELSE > FRENCH WOMAN KEEPS HER HEAD THROUGH IRANIAN CAPTIVITY, RETURNS HOME
FRENCH WOMAN KEEPS HER HEAD THROUGH IRANIAN CAPTIVITY, RETURNS HOME
May 16 2010
Paris, France – Though many of us will never experience it, there is likely no more terrifying experience than that of being arrested. The initial shock, the weight of the possible future weighing down on you, and the stress related to defending oneself 
from the charges is one of the most traumatic things a human can experience. That feeling of helplessness is no doubt compounded when a person is arrested in a foreign country where the laws, language, and people are unfamiliar, as happened to 24-year old Clotilde Reiss last year.
Reiss was arrested last July following the massive protests that followed the re-election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejead and has been fighting for freedom ever since. Insisting on her innocence throughout the ordeal, Reiss gained the support of thousands of people across the world including most importantly members of her own government. Since the day of her arrest French officials, including President Nicolas Sarkozy, had been working to secure the release of the scholar. After almost a year in captivity Reiss was released on Sunday and returned home, to meet with the Sarkozy and other officials who helped bring about her release. Citing the love and support of family, friends, and strangers, Reiss detailed how she was able to keep her head throughout the ordeal.
“I would like to thank all the people who supported me throughout this hardship, first of all the president who supported my innocence from the moment I was arrested, honouring me with his welcome just after my return to my country. I would also like to thank Minister Kouchner who committed himself to resolving my case from the very beginning,” said Reiss after meeting with the President at Elysee Palace. “And of course I thank my family and the Iranians who showed me their support and all the strangers who showed solidarity with my case - the French and people from all over the world. It gave me a lot of emotions and force to overcome this trial.”
Reiss had been charged with plotting to overthrow the Iranian government. Two of her fellow captives, both Iranian, were executed in January.
“Keeping calm and rational in a situation like that is really something remarkable. I’ve
personally never been arrested but I can tell you honestly that I don’t imagine that I would be able to remain rational in the face of something like that. Luckily she has ice in her veins and that allowed her to keep her head,” said Scrape TV Legal analyst Gabe Hawthorne. “When travelling abroad, people really need to be aware of not only the laws in other countries, but also of the political and social situation in those countries. No one but Reiss will really know if she was aware of what was going on in Iran at that time but since she is a woman that seems very self possessed and
still has a good head on her shoulders, I would bet that she knew what she was doing.”
Reiss had been working at the University of Iran prior to her arrest.
“In any kind of traumatic situation it’s really important to keep your head about you. Getting hysterical and getting angry doesn’t do anything for anyone and in a country like Iran could have dire consequences. They obviously don’t like people making a fuss,” continued Hawthorne. “Let this be a lesson to all young people seeking education in an embattled country like Iran; keep your head screwed on straight and you will come out alright, just as this young woman has done.”
Reiss was healthy though did complain of neck pain.
Emil Uliya, International Correspondent
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