Bishop Jacques Gaillot: A Friend to the Iranian Resistance, a Legacy That Lives On
Jacques Gaillot
Written by
Shamsi Saadati
Bishop Jacques Gaillot, a staunch supporter of the Iranian Resistance and the cause of freedom in Iran, passed away after a sudden illness. His departure has left us with heavy hearts, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, and the Iranian Resistance community.
Jacques Gaillot’s ties with the Iranian Resistance ran deep. In 1987, when the French government unlawfully deported Iranian political refugees to Gabon in a deal with the mullahs’ dictatorship, Jacques Gaillot and Daniel Mitterrand were among the first to stage a hunger strike at the headquarters of the High Commissioner for Refugees in Paris, calling for the refugees’ return to France.
This bond with the Iranian Resistance endured. When the French government, in a deal with the Iranian regime, once again apprehended Iranian refugees and members of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) on June 17, 2003, Bishop Gaillot was one of the first to come to Auvers-sur-Oise and defend the Iranian Resistance.
Bishop Gaillot continued to play an active role in defending the rights of the members of the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) in Ashraf and Camp Liberty in Iraq following his earlier involvement with the Iranian Resistance. These members were targeted by multiple massacres carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and their Iraqi collaborators.
Moreover, Bishop Gaillot strongly supported the organization’s legal and political fight, which successfully removed the PMOI from the EU blacklist.
Jacques Gaillot will always be remembered as a devoted champion of the Iranian Resistance and a sincere friend to its members. His legacy will live on in the memories of those who knew him and the countless lives he touched throughout his lifetime.
In her message regarding Bishop Gaillot’s passing, Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s president-elect, valued his sincere support of the Iranian Resistance, calling him a “brother to the members of the Iranian Resistance.”
Bishop Jacques Gaillot, who was a faithful protector and supporter of the Iranian Resistance, has passed away due to a sudden illness. I was saddened to hear of his departure, and I would like to offer my sincere condolences to his family, friends, and the Iranian Resistance.… pic.twitter.com/p6yE5vLYbz
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) April 13, 2023