Wednesday 22 / January / 2025
Muscat: Two females freed from Iran and Yemen after the intervention of Oman have thanked His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
Homa Hoodfar, the Montreal University professor who was detained in Iran for 114 days, and Nourane Houas, the Red Cross worker freed after 307 days in captivity in Yemen, have publicly thanked the Sultanate for ensuring their release.
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Houas was abducted by gunmen in Yemen on December 1, 2015.
“I want to extend my sincerest thanks to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and the Omani government for their generous hospitality,” Homa Hoodfar, the Montreal University professor who had been detained in Iran since June 6, 2016 and released after 114 days,said.
“They gave me the warmest welcome and allowed me to rest and recuperate in Oman for several days before embarking on the long journey home. I will always cherish Oman and hope to return again soon,” Hoodfar added.
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The 65-year-old professor was released on September 26.
Nourane Houas said: “I am thankful to Oman and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos for facilitating my release from Yemen.”
Hoodfar’s niece Amanda Ghahremani, who had the privilege of greeting her aunt off the plane in Oman, said that they were both so impressed and touched by the kindness, generosity, and warm welcome they received in Oman.
“The Omani authorities understood what an emotional time it had been for me and did absolutely everything to put me at ease. They even brought the most beautiful flowers for me to present to my aunt once she arrived. “I am forever grateful to Oman for the support they gave me and will always hold this beautiful country in my heart,” she said, adding that they will both cherish Oman, the Omani government and the Omani people in their hearts forever because of Oman’s instrumental role in Homa’s liberation.
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Hoodfar, the 65-year-old Iranian-Canadian anthropology professor, was arrested while on a visit to Iran. “Homa is now back home in Canada, recuperating,” her niece added.
Nourane Houas, the Red Cross worker freed from Yemen, told Times of Oman that she is thankful to Oman and His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
The French national with the International Committee for Red Cross, was released due to the efforts of the Oman government on a special request from its diplomats in Paris. French President Francois Hollande, in an official statement, expressed his gratitude to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said and all those who enabled the successful release of Nourane. He expressed his esteem for the work of Peter Maurer and members of the ICRC and praised “Nourane Houas’ courage during her long detention,” adding that he “shares in her family’s joy” over her release in a tweet on his official twitter handle.
Nourane had appeared in a video in May asking the French president to save her life.
Hoodfar’s friends and her colleagues had created a ‘FREEHOMA’ website and social networking platforms to introduce Homa, who she is, and what has happened to her to an international audience.
In a statement, the ICRC thanked all those who have played a role in facilitating Nourane’s release, in particular His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said.
“We are relieved and thankful that Nourane is now back with us, safe and sound,” said the ICRC head of delegation in Yemen, Alexandre Faite.
“Her abduction was a terrible ordeal for her, as well as for her family and friends. And it has obviously dealt a real blow to our humanitarian work in Yemen.”
“It has taken a lot of effort, inside and outside Yemen and over many months, but finally we have a positive result, said Faite.
Nourane was in-charge of an ICRC humanitarian protection programme in the Swiss-based humanitarian agency’s Sanaa office. In 2015, two Americans, three Saudis and a British citizen held captive in Yemen were released after Oman mediated the talks.
Also, Oman was the first port of call for three American hikers jailed in Iran following their release in 2010 and 2011.
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