• Privacy policy
  • T&C’s
  • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Meet the Team
  • Contact us
TLE ONLINE SHOP!
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
SUPPORT THE LONDON ECONOMIC
NEWSLETTER
  • TLE
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Elevenses
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Film
    • Lifestyle
      • Horoscopes
    • Lottery Results
      • Lotto
      • Thunderball
      • Set For Life
      • EuroMillions
  • Food
    • All Food
    • Recipes
  • Property
  • Travel
  • Tech/Auto
No Result
View All Result
The London Economic
No Result
View All Result
Home News

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe back in prison after ‘torture’ of mental health ward

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been kept in solitary confinement and chained to hospital bed, according to her husband Richard Ratcliffe.

Ollie McAninch by Ollie McAninch
2019-07-22 15:11
in News
FacebookTwitterLinkedinEmailWhatsapp

A British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran has been transferred back to prison from a hospital mental health ward she described as “proper torture”.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been kept in solitary confinement and chained to hospital bed, according to her husband Richard Ratcliffe, who added she had been discharged on Saturday.

The news comes amid heightened tensions between the UK and Iran over the seizure of a British-flagged tanker in the Persian Gulf.

Putting pressure on new Prime Minister Boris Johnson more than 200 MPs called for Johnson who as Foreign Minister made her situation all the worse to now use his powers to secure her safe release from Iran.

Shortly before the new Tory leader was announced on Tuesday, the MPs wrote to the candidates stressing it should be a PM’s “first duty” to protect British citizens.

The British-Iranian mother has languished in detention since her arrest in 2016, with Johnson heavily criticised over his loose words when he was foreign secretary that led to calls for him to resign when Iranian authorities detained .

Johnson made matters much worse for her by mistakenly telling an open House of Commons hearing that she was “teaching people journalism.”

RelatedPosts

Ofcom says its wont pursue complaints about Susanna Reid’s interview with PM

Abottlelypse Now: UK on brink of beer bottle shortage

Nick Ferrari says ‘nobody cares’ whether Johnson met with Sue Gray

Elizabeth line: When does London’s latest tube line open?

An Iranian judge told the 38-year-old mum she faced more years in jail after gaffe-prone Boris Johnson’s remarks.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe detained
Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of detained Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, outside the Iranian Embassy (Jonathan Brady/PA)

The 40-year-old was arrested at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport while travelling with her young daughter in April 2016 and sentenced to five years in prison after being accused of spying, a charge she vehemently denies.

She was moved from Evin prison last week to the mental health ward of Iman Khomeini hospital in Tehran upon the command of health authorities in the country.

But she was returned to prison after breaking out of her bindings and telling security guards she was at risk of self-harming if she remained in the hospital, Mr Ratcliffe said.

The pair spoke over the phone on Sunday and Monday, when she told him of her ordeal.

Mr Ratcliffe said his wife told him she was “broken” by the experience and was “relieved” to be back in prison.

Nazanin is now out of psychiatric hospital and back in prison – demoralised after a horrendous week. Chained and handcuffed to her bed. Guarded 24/7. Broken and exhausted. We must keep fighting for her dignity and freedom until the day she is home in West Hampstead. #FreeNazanin

— Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) July 22, 2019

In comments to him, she said: “They did all they could to me – handcuffs, ankle cuffs, in a private room 2m by 3m, with thick curtains, and the door closed all the time.

“I wasn’t allowed to leave the room, as I was chained to the bed. It was proper torture. It was tough, and I was struggling.

“To be honest, I never thought I would end up there. I always found myself strong, and then finding myself there – it was really traumatising.

“There was no justification for it. I am cross at them. I am not scared. The amount of scars I got. I have been put through hell.”

It comes as her constituency MP said she had called for questions to be answered over claims by former Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan said that talks about her release had been brought to an “abrupt halt.”

In his resignation Sir Alan said he remained “deeply upset that some fruitful discussion I had initiated about he possible release of Nazanin Ratcliffe were brought to such an abrupt halt”.

I want to thank Mr. Speaker for this extraordinary intervention in Nazanin's case. Your personal support means a huge amount to the Zaghari-Ratcliffe family. #FreeNazanin @HouseofCommons pic.twitter.com/VEl2Ctx0PI

— Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) July 17, 2019

Hampstead and Kilburn MP Tulip Siddiq tweeted: “I have tabled questions to the FCO regarding the cause of the “abrupt halt” of the discussions to #FreeNazanin”.

Sir Alan, a prominent critic of Boris Johnson, quit as a Foreign Office minister ahead of Tuesday’s announcement of the new Tory leader.

Mr Johnson is widely expected to defeat Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt to become the Conservative leader and prime minister.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s admission to a mental health unit comes after she went on hunger strike for 15 days last month in protest against her “unfair imprisonment”.

Mr Ratcliffe joined the hunger strike in solidarity with his wife, and camped on the pavement outside the Iranian embassy in London.

Earlier this year, Mr Hunt granted Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection in a bid to resolve her case.

In a 2017 gaffe,  Mr Johnson said Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was in Iran “teaching people journalism” – despite her family’s insistence she was there to visit relatives.

He has repeatedly said the responsibility for her continued detention lies with the Revolutionary Guard.

Boris dubbed a f****** disgrace by Senior Conservative MP – click here

Since you are here

Since you are here, we wanted to ask for your help.

Journalism in Britain is under threat. The government is becoming increasingly authoritarian and our media is run by a handful of billionaires, most of whom reside overseas and all of them have strong political allegiances and financial motivations.

Our mission is to hold the powerful to account. It is vital that free media is allowed to exist to expose hypocrisy, corruption, wrongdoing and abuse of power. But we can't do it without you.

If you can afford to contribute a small donation to the site it will help us to continue our work in the best interests of the public. We only ask you to donate what you can afford, with an option to cancel your subscription at any point.

To donate or subscribe to The London Economic, click here.

The TLE shop is also now open, with all profits going to supporting our work.

The shop can be found here.

You can also SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER .

Subscribe to our Newsletter

View our  Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions

Trending on TLE

  • All
  • trending
Abdollah

‘Rescue us’: Afghan teacher begs UK to help him escape Taliban

CHOMSKY: “If Corbyn had been elected, Britain would be pursuing a much more sane course”

What If We Got Rid Of Prisons?

More from TLE

“A beauty treatment Kim Kardashian swears by” Olaplex at Muse of London

Restaurant Review: Oldroyd launches ‘Meat Free Mondays’

Beer of the Week: Neubourg Pilsner

Change UK Party may not exist by next election reveals leader Heidi Allen

The view from Bolsover: Labour is already patriotic enough

Behind the scenes look at Trump’s £100m jets

Straight Outta Compton – Trailer

What about our own ‘filthy rich’ oligarchs?

HS2 minister ‘concerned’ as rising costs hit eye-watering figure

Pensioners “Unseen and Unheard” by Major Political Parties

About Us

TheLondonEconomic.com – Open, accessible and accountable news, sport, culture and lifestyle.

Read more

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.




No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Food
  • Travel
  • More…
    • Elevenses
    • Opinion
    • Property
    • Tech & Auto
  • About Us
    • Meet the Team
    • Privacy policy
  • Contact us

© 2019 thelondoneconomic.com - TLE, International House, 24 Holborn Viaduct, London EC1A 2BN. All Rights Reserved.