Nazanin’s prison release extended by a month

LONDON: Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s temporary release from an Iranian jail has been extended by a month, according to her MP.

The British-Iranian mother has been freed from Evin prison in Tehran in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tulip Siddiq tweeted on Tuesday morning: “Very happy to hear from Richard Ratcliffe that Nazanin’s furlough has been extended for a month – in line with other prisoners in Iran.” The Labour MP added: “Now is the time for our government to do all it can to make it permanent.”

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been due to return to prison over the weekend, but her family were then told to return to the Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday.

She was arrested at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini Airport while travelling to show her young daughter, Gabriella, to her parents in April 2016. The mother-of-one was sentenced to five years in prison, accused of plotting to overthrow the Iranian government, which she denies.

She was later afforded diplomatic protection by the UK government, which argues that she is innocent and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet obligations under international law.

Human rights charity Amnesty International said it was “very pleased” for Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe. It added: “There should be no question of Nazanin ever being sent back to Evin Prison. There are numerous reports of Covid-19 in Iranian jails, with detainees pleading for basic things like soap to help combat the disease.

“We’re urging the Iranian authorities to finally do the right thing and free Nazanin permanently, allowing her to return to her family back here in Britain.”

A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: “While the extension of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s temporary release is a welcome step, we continue to urge Iran to make it permanent so she can return to her family in the UK. We will continue to do everything we can to help secure the release of all UK dual nationals arbitrarily detained in Iran.”