Boris’s Iran visit gives family a ‘positive’ outlook
THE family of Nazanin ZaghariRatcliffe , who is in prison in Iran, have said they are feeling “more positive” after receiving the news her case status has been changed to ‘eligible for early release’.
The latest development of Nazanin’s case comes after Foreign Secretary and Uxbridge MP Boris Johnson’s visit to the country earlier in December.
Nazanin, who is from west Hampstead and holds dual UK-Iranian nationality, was jailed in Tehran in April 2016, after being arrested at the airport during a holiday to meet her grandparents with her then 22-month-old daughter Gabriella.
She was sentenced to five years behind bars after being charged with plotting to topple the Iranian government.
Rebecca Jones, Nazanin’s sisterin-law, said: “She’s spoken to her lawyer and her lawyer has now discovered that on a judiciary database, her case is marked eligible for early release – that’s a change, we thought it was always a closed case.
“It doesn’t mean to say she is going to get early release, but it’s definitely a positive step that she has been marked eligible for early release.
“The lawyer is much more positive and Nazanin is much more positive.”
Speaking to Sky News, Nazanin’s husband Richard Ratcliffe said he was cautious about the news.
He said: “It is definitely a positive step.
“I’m probably a bit cautious to see just how positive.
“There has not been any confirmation to her from the prosecutor so, what she got told, there is still some paperwork to finalise.
“But it’s definitely good news and fingers crossed now.”
He added there has been positive improvement in his wife’s case since the Foreign Secretary’s visit, including more phone calls to be permitted.
He said: “I think it feels like the tide has turned, certainly.”