March 26, 2021
stands with his six-year-old daughter, Gabriella, in
front of the Iranian embassy in London March 8 as
they tried to deliver a petition with more than
160,000 signatures calling for the immediate release
of Gabriella’s mother, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
They were turned away. A voice speaking over the
embassy intercom refused even to open the door.
Supporters of the family stood in front of the
embassy with placards saying “Free Nazanin” and
“Still Not Forgotten.”
The Judiciary removed the ankle bracelet Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had worn as her five-year prison term ended March 7 but then hailed her back into court March 14 for a new trial on a new charge.
It looked like the regime was not willing to let her go home to her British husband in London and their six-year-old daughter.
Her trial lasted just a few hours and Judge Abol-Qassem Salavati, known for handing down harsh sentences to political prisoners, said he would issue a verdict and sentence within seven days. He didn’t.
Nazanin’s husband, Richard Ratcliffe, said his wife reported the judge was polite at the trial.
Nazanin, 42, was charged with “propaganda against the system.” The charge related to her participation in a rally in front the Iranian embassy in London to protest the outcome of the 2009 presidential election that saw Mahmud Ahmadi-nejad re-elected. There was no question of her participation in the rally as she gave an interview to BBC Farsi during the rally.
The family said she had a sleepless night before the trial. Her father took her to the courthouse shortly before 8 a.m., but wasn’t allowed to enter the courtroom with his daughter. She did, however, have a lawyer, Hojat Kermani, with her. Only the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney and Nazanin were allowed in the courtroom for the trial.
IranWire reported that “evidence” offered in court included the fact that she worked for the Thompson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of the news agency. The foundation said, as it has many times before, that it has no work involving Iran.
Nazanin was furloughed from Evin prison last March because of the coronavirus epidemic and allowed to live with her parents in Tehran. But she had to wear the ankle bracelet and could not move more than 300 meters from her parents’ house. That restriction was removed with the ankle bracelet when her term ended and she has been allowed to travel anywhere within Iran. But the Judiciary did not return her passports and she cannot leave the country.
Nazanin’s husband said she was ecstatic to get the ankle bracelet removed and showed off a “big grin” when he talked to her during a video call.