British-Iranian aid worker returns to jail after temporary release - husband

[webfact]

British-Iranian aid worker returns to jail after temporary release - husband

 

FILE PHOTO: Iranian-British aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is seen with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and her daughter Gabriella in an undated photograph handed out by her family. Ratcliffe Family Handout via REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A detained British-Iranian aid worker sentenced to five years in jail in Iran was returned to prison on Sunday after a request to extend her three-day temporary release was rejected, her husband said.

 

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project manager with the Thomson Reuters Foundation, was arrested in April 2016 at a Tehran airport as she was heading back to Britain with her two-year-old daughter after a family visit.

 

She was convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran's clerical establishment, a charge denied by her family and the Foundation, a charity organization that is independent of Thomson Reuters and operates independently of Reuters News.

 

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe, who is in Britain, said in a statement she returned to prison in Tehran to continue serving her sentence despite hopes her release would be extended.

 

Iranian authorities and her lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.

 

Britain's foreign minister Jeremy Hunt wrote on Twitter that attempts to free Zaghari-Ratcliffe would continue.

 

"Looks like Iranian legal system is impervious to the simple fact at the heart of this: an innocent woman is desperate to be reunited with her family," Hunt said.

 

"Spoke to Foreign Minister (Mohammad Javad) Zarif on Fri but that clearly wasn't enough. The fight goes on."

 

(Reporting By Andrew MacAskill and Babak Dehghanpisheh; Editing by Nick Tattersall, Richard Balmforth)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-08-27

[Bluespunk]

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Britain's foreign minister Jeremy Hunt wrote on Twitter that attempts to free Zaghari-Ratcliffe would continue.

Just make sure Boris johnson isn’t involved in these efforts. 

[Grouse]

1 hour ago, Bluespunk said:

 

Just make sure Boris johnson isn’t involved in these efforts. 

How about a swap?

[Lokie]

Boris was jumped on for saying she was 'teaching English' which is what he was advised by his aides at the time -

While back in UK (Edinburgh festival) a drama group is running regular shows on a drama based on this lady with the full help of her husband with quotes from the woman's writings/letters, like a day by day drama, updated with all the twists and turns... Obviously does not show the Iranian Govt in a good light.

 

Maybe that might be counter productive in this lady being allowed to go free? Just a thought... No one seems to be mentioning that though

[lungbing]

Wow!  The Iranians are strict.  Even the husband and baby have to cover their heads.

[Pedrogaz]

36 minutes ago, Lokie said:

Boris was jumped on for saying she was 'teaching English' which is what he was advised by his aides at the time -

While back in UK (Edinburgh festival) a drama group is running regular shows on a drama based on this lady with the full help of her husband with quotes from the woman's writings/letters, like a day by day drama, updated with all the twists and turns... Obviously does not show the Iranian Govt in a good light.

 

Maybe that might be counter productive in this lady being allowed to go free? Just a thought... No one seems to be mentioning that though

Boris said she was organising classes for journalists which apparently is what she was doing. He got jumped on because he confirmed what the Iranian authorities had sent her to jail for.

Before this she'd worked organising journalist workshops for the BBC. The workshops have the laudable objective of teaching locals how to expose the crimes of their leaders.....sadly for her the leaders of these countries see this as seditious, not laudable. But she knew the risks she was taking. 

The other aspect is that Britain owes Iran US $400 million from 1978 when the British refused to supply Chieftain tanks to Iran because of US sanctions in the wake of the ouster of the US imposed Shah (who was hated). The British have kept the money ever since. They payment now is questionable as the new US sanctions forbid such a payment, and because the Iranians want interest on the frozen money. This poor lady would probably have a good chance of being let go if the British would pay up what they owe.

[Bluespunk]

6 hours ago, Lokie said:

Boris was jumped on for saying she was 'teaching English' which is what he was advised by his aides at the time -

While back in UK (Edinburgh festival) a drama group is running regular shows on a drama based on this lady with the full help of her husband with quotes from the woman's writings/letters, like a day by day drama, updated with all the twists and turns... Obviously does not show the Iranian Govt in a good light.

 

Maybe that might be counter productive in this lady being allowed to go free? Just a thought... No one seems to be mentioning that though

He did not say she was teaching English. 

 

“Mr Johnson has faced calls to resign over mistaken remarks made to MPs, where he claimed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been “teaching journalism” in Tehran”

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-apology-iran-comments-teach-journalism-prison-sentence-a8052611.html?amp

 

[Lokie]

On 8/27/2018 at 2:01 PM, Pedrogaz said:

Boris said she was organising classes for journalists which apparently is what she was doing. He got jumped on because he confirmed what the Iranian authorities had sent her to jail for.

Before this she'd worked organising journalist workshops for the BBC. The workshops have the laudable objective of teaching locals how to expose the crimes of their leaders.....sadly for her the leaders of these countries see this as seditious, not laudable. But she knew the risks she was taking. 

The other aspect is that Britain owes Iran US $400 million from 1978 when the British refused to supply Chieftain tanks to Iran because of US sanctions in the wake of the ouster of the US imposed Shah (who was hated). The British have kept the money ever since. They payment now is questionable as the new US sanctions forbid such a payment, and because the Iranians want interest on the frozen money. This poor lady would probably have a good chance of being let go if the British would pay up what they owe.

Yep I remember the issue over the tanks and from what was reported the UK should pay up, I think this still has no bearing in this case, theres lots of other people in Iran who hold Uk papers etc and they are not under arrest. As you said , is it really wise to do certain activities in a county like Iran, asking for trouble no? And helping drama Companies to run shows while the Mrs is being held, I really think that is doing more damage than anything else...

[Lokie]

21 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

He did not say she was teaching English. 

 

“Mr Johnson has faced calls to resign over mistaken remarks made to MPs, where he claimed Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been “teaching journalism” in Tehran”

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-apology-iran-comments-teach-journalism-prison-sentence-a8052611.html?amp

 

Not gonna split hairs with you, best policy in Iran as my above answer is better to keep your views to yourself while in country and do not step over the line, maybe then not get arrested on departure, as I said I dont think its the tank issue, she was doing things that the Iranian state did not like, so she was arrested. Their country, their laws

[Bluespunk]

12 minutes ago, Lokie said:

Not gonna split hairs with you, best policy in Iran as my above answer is better to keep your views to yourself while in country and do not step over the line, maybe then not get arrested on departure, as I said I dont think its the tank issue, she was doing things that the Iranian state did not like, so she was arrested. Their country, their laws

It’s not splitting hairs when the actual content of what johnson said is quoted, rather than something that absolves him of the responsibility of his incompetence and ill chosen words. 

 

As to what the iranian state gaoled her for, as far as I am aware she denies those charges. 

 

Johnsons inept statement backed the Iranian states allegations and completely undermined her defence. 

 

The man is a moron. 

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nazanin-free-iran-richard-ratcliffe-boris-johnson-arms-deal-foreign-office-jailed-latest-a8249956.html?amp

[Lokie]

18 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

It’s not splitting hairs when the actual content of what johnson said is quoted, rather than something that absolves him of the responsibility of his incompetence and ill chosen words. 

 

As to what the iranian state gaoled her for, as far as I am aware she denies those charges. 

 

Johnsons inept statement backed the Iranian states allegations and completely undermined her defence. 

 

The man is a moron. 

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nazanin-free-iran-richard-ratcliffe-boris-johnson-arms-deal-foreign-office-jailed-latest-a8249956.html?amp

Thought this post was about the poor lady locked up in Iran, we seem to be digressing about Boris.

 

I commented as I hear Boris done whatever and his comments are damming to her case. This poor woman is being held in prison yet her husband seems to actively stir the pot in public and nothing is said about that. Strikes me it may help if he used a bit of tact in his wife's dilemma. Do we not put forward a balanced discussion in the case...? I stick to my view that her husband should keep his mouth shut and let the powers that be hopefully assist in helping to get the lady released. Assisting with on running public Theater shows about her case is doing more damage IMO.

 

Meanwhile back in Edinburgh...

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/nazanin-s-story

[Bluespunk]

4 minutes ago, Lokie said:

Thought this post was about the poor lady locked up in Iran, we seem to be digressing about Boris.

 

I commented as I hear Boris done whatever and his comments are damming to her case. This poor woman is being held in prison yet her husband seems to actively stir the pot in public and nothing is said about that. Strikes me it may help if he used a bit of tact in his wife's dilemma. Do we not put forward a balanced discussion in the case...? I stick to my view that her husband should keep his mouth shut and let the powers that be hopefully assist in helping to get the lady released. Assisting with on running public Theater shows about her case is doing more damage IMO.

 

Meanwhile back in Edinburgh...

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/nazanin-s-story

If Johnson had kept his mouth shut he wouldn’t have strengthened the Iranian states case. 

 

If he had kept his promise to “leave no stone unturned” to get her released she might well be free. 

 

Her husband is right to expose Johnson’s duplicity and continue to highlight his wife’s case. 

 

johnson has clearly decided to forget about her. 

[Lokie]

1 minute ago, Bluespunk said:

If Johnson had kept his mouth shut he wouldn’t have strengthened the Iranian states case. 

 

If he had kept his promise to “leave no stone unturned” to get her released she might well be free. 

 

Her husband is right to expose Johnson’s duplicity and continue to highlight his wife’s case. 

 

johnson has clearly decided to forget about her. 

You do know Boris is no longer the FS....? Jeremy Hunt is (just you posted a link from a five months old article) Things have moved on slightly;

 

The woman just spent three days on release at her parents with her little girl and unfortunately has now been returned to prison. So Boris now has NO bearing on the case, just saying like hence shows being run at fringe festivals are all well and good but as to helping her gain release with the Iranian authorities?

[Bluespunk]

7 minutes ago, Lokie said:

You do know Boris is no longer the FS....? Jeremy Hunt is (just you posted a link from a five months old article) Things have moved on slightly;

 

The woman just spent three days on release at her parents with her little girl and unfortunately has now been returned to prison. So Boris now has NO bearing on the case, just saying like hence shows being run at fringe festivals are all well and good but as to helping her gain release with the Iranian authorities?

johnson made a promise and has walked away from it.

 

A promise to right a wrong his ineptitude contributed to. 

 

His promise was made as a representative of the british govt. 

 

They like johnson have failed to keep that promise. 

 

The duplicity of johnson and his govt colleagues in failing to meet this promise should be highlighted by those genuinely concerned with this woman’s treatment. 

[Lokie]

2 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

johnson made a promise and has walked away from it.

 

A promise to right a wrong his ineptitude contributed to. 

 

His promise was made as a representative of the british govt. 

 

They like johnson have failed to keep that promise. 

 

The duplicity of johnson and his govt colleagues in failing to meet this promise should be highlighted by those genuinely concerned with this woman’s treatment. 

Okay so thats that covered. You think her husband is doing a sterling job of things for her case then?

[Bluespunk]

37 minutes ago, Lokie said:

Okay so thats that covered. You think her husband is doing a sterling job of things for her case then?

Yes I do. 

 

He is keeping the case in the spotlight and keeping the pressure on those who failed in their promises. 

[observer90210]

In totalitarian countries like Iran (and many other nations including in the far west or more the to East), it is always advisable to keep one's mouth shut and not to meddle in any such public exposed activites....