Nazanin in new charge nightmare
Family fear trial could keep her in Iran jail
THE British mother jailed in Iran for alleged spying was yesterday told she will face another trial in a bitter blow to her family.
Charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe appeared in court and was informed of the new unspecified charge, raising fears for her welfare. The trial will take place on Sunday.
The UK last night slammed the move. A Foreign Office spokesman said: ‘Iran bringing new charges against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is indefensible and unacceptable. We have been consistently clear that she must not be returned to prison.’ Her MP Tulip Siddiq said it was an ‘extremely worrying development’.
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 41, a British-Iranian citizen, from London, was sentenced to five years in jail for allegedly planning to topple the Iranian government in 2016 and has been held in prison in Tehran.
She was allowed to return to her family home in Iran following a huge outbreak of coronavirus but forced to wear an electronic tag and is effectively under house arrest. Her sentence is due to end next March but only last month husband Richard Ratcliffe said he was worried about the prospect of the regime bringing new charges that would keep her locked up.
State TV website Irib News said: ‘The 15th chamber of the
Islamic Revolutionary Court summoned Nazanin Zaghari this morning with her lawyer...to notify them of a new indictment.’ It gave no further details. Miss Siddiq, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn in north London, said: ‘I’ve been in touch with Nazanin and can confirm that she was taken to court this morning and told she will face another trial on Sunday.
‘I know many people are concerned about her welfare and I’ll keep everyone updated when we have more information. This is an extremely worrying development.’ She added: ‘The last four years have been excruciating for her husband Richard and her daughter Gabriella, who is growing up without a mother.
‘The United Nations have recognised Nazanin’s imprisonment as arbitrary and unlawful, and any further court case is clearly unacceptable.’
Mr Ratcliffe has said his wife and other dual nationals are being held hostage because Iran wants the UK to pay a decadesold debt over an arms deal.
Last week the UK acknowledged the debt for the first time after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said he was seeking to pay it. Britain is thought to owe up to £400million from a deal for 1,500 tanks ordered by the Shah of Iran before he was overthrown in 1979. The UK kept the money, but refused to deliver the tanks.
Former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt last night said: ‘Nazanin has already served most of her sentence for a crime she didn’t commit. This is hostage diplomacy and Iran needs to know Britain will not stand for it.’ Human rights group Amnesty International accused Iran of ‘cruel political games’.
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been given diplomatic protection by the Foreign Office, meaning the case is treated as a formal legal dispute between Britain and Iran.
‘Indefensible and unacceptable’