British-Iranian aid worker Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces new charge - state TV

[webfact]

British-Iranian aid worker Zaghari-Ratcliffe faces new charge - state TV

 

FILE PHOTO: Iranian-British aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is seen in an undated photograph handed out by her family. Ratcliffe Family Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

 

DUBAI (Reuters) - British-Iranian aid worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was summoned by an Iranian Revolutionary Court on Tuesday and informed about a new charge, state television reported.

 

"Branch 15 of the Islamic Revolutionary Court summoned Nazanin Zaghari and her designated lawyer this morning and informed her of a new indictment," state television cited an unnamed official as saying on its website.

 

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

 

She was sentenced to five years in jail after being convicted of plotting to overthrow Iran's clerical establishment. Her family and the foundation, a charity that operates independently of media firm Thomson Reuters and its news subsidiary Reuters, deny the charge.

 

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was temporarily released from jail in March amid concerns over the spread of the new coronavirus in Iran's prisons but is barred from leaving the country.

 

The Thomson Reuters Foundation urged British Prime Minister Boris Johnson "to intervene promptly" to secure Zaghari-Ratcliffe's permanent release.

 

"The Thomson Reuters Foundation utterly condemns the latest move by the Iranian authorities to prolong Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s inhumane and unjust ordeal," said Antonio Zappulla, Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO, in a statement.

 

Britain's Foreign Office said Iran's action was unacceptable.

 

"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," a spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

 

(Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Nick Tattersall and Mike Collett-White)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-09-09

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

[Bluespunk]

Have to wonder if all these things would go away, if the UK payed Iran the money owed for that tank order back in the day.
 

Problem is, that’s just caving into gangsterism by the Iranian government, though the UK government really should pay the money back to do so under these circumstances would just feel wrong.
 

It’s a situation where there doesn’t seem to be any right way forward, if that’s what’s going on that is.

[sammieuk1]

Don't let Boris open his mouth or she will get another 20 years ????

[Pedrogaz]

The 400 million and Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe are not linked issues. 

The woman is allegedly a spy and it certainly looks like that from her work and from Boris Johnson's description about what she was doing there....ie organising journalist workshops to generate negative press for the Iranian government. Whether this is or toil thing is legal in the UK is also irrelevant, it is illegal in Iran. When you are a guest in someone's country you should obey their laws, not arrongantly insist your laws are better. 

Every court, international and domestic, that has considered the matter says UK owes Iran 400 million plus interest. The UK won't pay because the US tells them not to. 

The UK can be honourable and pay up.....this will undoubtedly create some goodwill that is missing to have the woman freed. She can only be months away from the end of her term anyway. The new charges are probably not legitimate but the UK still owes the money. Iran is  the first country to find out that Britain has a dishonourable streak, as Venezuela found out when it asked for its gold back and got a dose of sophistry instead.

 

[Nigel Garvie]

31 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

The 400 million and Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe are not linked issues. 

The woman is allegedly a spy and it certainly looks like that from her work and from Boris Johnson's description about what she was doing there....ie organising journalist workshops to generate negative press for the Iranian government. Whether this is or toil thing is legal in the UK is also irrelevant, it is illegal in Iran. When you are a guest in someone's country you should obey their laws, not arrongantly insist your laws are better. 

Every court, international and domestic, that has considered the matter says UK owes Iran 400 million plus interest. The UK won't pay because the US tells them not to. 

The UK can be honourable and pay up.....this will undoubtedly create some goodwill that is missing to have the woman freed. She can only be months away from the end of her term anyway. The new charges are probably not legitimate but the UK still owes the money. Iran is  the first country to find out that Britain has a dishonourable streak, as Venezuela found out when it asked for its gold back and got a dose of sophistry instead.

 

Of course the things are not linked, and Bluespunk didn't suggest that they were. I think there is no evidence, that she was a spy, and I suggest that people should be careful about believing Iranian stories, let alone their courts. This was controlled by the Revolutionary Guards, who are not under government control. They would make the Stazi blush; add in the total religious lunacy that inspires them and you have a foul cocktail.

 

Boris certainly put his foot in it,  this is no longer news anywhere on the planet, but he didn't give chapter and verse as you suggest from what I rememberer reading at the time.

 

The rest of your post I agree with 100%.

[Bluespunk]

It appears the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is making a connection to the tank money and these charges  
 

Whether that is the case or not is conjecture really but the article below certainly makes clear how yet another inaccurate statement by johnson were damaging to her case and helped reinforce the Iranian govts charges. 

 

 

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2020/sep/09/nazanin-zaghari-ratcliffe-held-hostage-by-iran-says-husband?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

Edited September 9, 2020 by Bluespunk
better wording

[jesimps]

I'm sorry, call me callous, but I find it difficult to have sympathy for people who do voluntary aid work in places like this. I also find it difficult to understand people willing to jump through many hoops to obtain a work permit for unpaid work here. I wouldn't do unpaid work anywhere that the govt, who's people I was helping, didn't show some gratitude for what I was doing and showed that they were very keen to have my help in the first place. I certainly wouldn't go if there was the slightest chance of being thrown in jail on trumped up charges.

[lungbing]

First, she is not British-Iranian, she is Iranian-British.  I say that because she entered Iran on an Iranian passport and is thus nothing to do with Britain at all.

[Grusa]

There are a few countries/cultures without which the World would be a better and safer place. 

 

Feel free to name your choices.......if you dare!

[Thingamabob]

She was really stupid to enter Iran with an Iranian passport, and to then organize a series of meetings for journalists. Simply asking for a lot of trouble.

[Morch]

4 hours ago, Pedrogaz said:

The 400 million and Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe are not linked issues. 

The woman is allegedly a spy and it certainly looks like that from her work and from Boris Johnson's description about what she was doing there....ie organising journalist workshops to generate negative press for the Iranian government. Whether this is or toil thing is legal in the UK is also irrelevant, it is illegal in Iran. When you are a guest in someone's country you should obey their laws, not arrongantly insist your laws are better. 

Every court, international and domestic, that has considered the matter says UK owes Iran 400 million plus interest. The UK won't pay because the US tells them not to. 

The UK can be honourable and pay up.....this will undoubtedly create some goodwill that is missing to have the woman freed. She can only be months away from the end of her term anyway. The new charges are probably not legitimate but the UK still owes the money. Iran is  the first country to find out that Britain has a dishonourable streak, as Venezuela found out when it asked for its gold back and got a dose of sophistry instead.

 

 

Unless you fully embrace Iran's version and framing of things, "organising journalist workshops to generate negative press for the Iranian government" is not what she was doing there. Also, it's kinda unlikely she'd be sent in as a "spy" with a "cover story" so flimsy TVF posters could see through.

 

That said, she was obviously playing with fire, and while retaining doubts of her being a full fledged "spy", would not rule out acting in a more passive capacity - say ears to the ground, spot likely candidates or even just convey impressions, accidental information etc.  

 

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, jesimps said:

I'm sorry, call me callous, but I find it difficult to have sympathy for people who do voluntary aid work in places like this. I also find it difficult to understand people willing to jump through many hoops to obtain a work permit for unpaid work here. I wouldn't do unpaid work anywhere that the govt, who's people I was helping, didn't show some gratitude for what I was doing and showed that they were very keen to have my help in the first place. I certainly wouldn't go if there was the slightest chance of being thrown in jail on trumped up charges.

She was visiting her family in Iran.

 

From the OP

 

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

Edited September 9, 2020 by Bluespunk