Iran sentences Zaghari-ratcliffe to another year over ‘propaganda’
NAZANIN Zaghari-ratcliffe has been sentenced to another year in prison after being found guilty of propaganda activities against the regime in Iran.
The British-iranian charity worker was also given a one-year ban from leaving the country.
Her lawyer said she had been accused of taking part in a demonstration in London 12 years ago and giving an interview to the BBC Persian service.
The Prime Minister said the UK would “redouble” efforts to free her, with the UK Government now facing mounting calls to impose sanctions.
Her husband Richard Ratcliffe told the BBC the court’s decision was “clearly a negotiating tactic” by the Iranian authorities – who are currently in discussions over the country’s nuclear activities.
She has not been taken to prison yet and plans to appeal.
Asked about her sentence during a visit to North Wales today, Boris Johnson said that the UK Government will be “working very hard” to secure Ms Zaghariratcliffe’s release.
The Prime Minister said: “Obviously, we will have to study the detail of what the Iranian authorities are saying.
“I don’t think it is right at all that Nazanin should be sentenced to any more time in jail.
“I think it is wrong that she is there in the first place and we will be working very hard to secure her release from Iran, her ability to return to her family here in the UK, just as we work for all our dual national cases in Iran.
“The Government will not stop, we will redouble our efforts, and we are working with our American friends on this issue as well.”
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “This is a totally inhumane and wholly unjustified decision.
“We continue to call on Iran to release Nazanin immediately so she can return to her family in the UK. We continue to do all we can to support her.”
Mrs Zaghari-ratcliffe was detained in 2016 on charges of crimes related to national security, and was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment.
She completed the latter part of her sentence under house arrest due to the coronavirus crisis in March, but was returned to court later in the month where she was tried on new charges of “spreading propaganda against the regime”.
Some observers have linked Mrs Zaghari-ratcliffe’s case to a longstanding debt Iran alleges it is owed by the UK.
The UK is thought to owe Iran as much as £400 million over the non-delivery of tanks in 1979, with the shipment stopped because of the Islamic revolution.
Ministers have said Britain continues to “explore options” to resolve the dispute, adding the “two issues cannot be merged into one”.
Layla Moran MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for Foreign Affairs, called for targeted sanctions to be introduced against Iran.
She said: “This is a cruel and heartless decision by the Iranian regime. Nazanin should be coming home to her family, instead she’s being used as a political bargaining chip yet again.
“Enough is enough. The Foreign Secretary must now begin the process of introducing targeted Magnitsky sanctions against officials responsible. With Nazanin’s health deteriorating and her family in distress, strong words must be backed by real action.”
Labour MP Lisa Nandy, shadow foreign secretary, criticised the Government’s handling of the case.
She tweeted: “This is devastating news. Nazanin’s freedom is being used as a political bargaining chip and the Government has serious questions to answer over their failed strategy to bring her home.”