Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s Husband Responds to Ares Amiri’s Sentence: Iran Has Imprisoned Another Woman Like My Wife

“Richard Ratcliffe,” the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, in an article published in the Guardian newspaper on Thursday, May 16, referred to the news of “Ares Amiri’s” conviction to 10 years imprisonment in Iran and the similarities between her case and that of his wife.

Mr. Ratcliffe wrote: The announcement of Ares Amiri’s conviction reminded me of the similar situation with Nazanin in 2016. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Ares Amiri were both arrested while they had traveled to Iran for holidays and to visit their families. Both were tried due to their connections with Britain and both on charges of espionage.

Richard Ratcliffe stated: Today both of them are cellmates in Evin Prison.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s husband added: Ares Amiri’s sentence was announced on television. Revolutionary courts never base their verdicts on justice. They advertise imprisoning people in this way through the media.

British Prime Minister Theresa May said that the issuance of a prison sentence for a member of the British Council by the Islamic Republic has made her “deeply concerned.”

According to Reuters, the British Prime Minister, noting that she was “shocked” to hear this news, said that the convicted person “worked for a legal institution whose goal was to improve relations between the two countries.”

Jeremy Hunt, Britain’s Foreign Secretary, also described the 10-year prison sentence as “deeply concerning” in response to the verdict.

Gholamhossein Esmaili, spokesperson for the Judiciary, said on Monday, May 13, that a person who was “responsible for the Iran desk at the British Council,” known as “British Council,” has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Hours after the news was released, the Guardian website reported that this person is “Ares Amiri,” a 33-year-old student who was arrested by the Islamic Republic last year.

Ares Amiri had previously traveled to Iran many times, but the last time she went to visit her sick grandmother, five days after entering the country, she was arrested by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Esfand 1396 (March 2018).

Shortly after, this Iranian student at Kingston University in Britain, who had been transferred to Evin Prison following her arrest, was released from prison in 1397 (2018) after posting bail of 500 million tomans.

However, she was arrested again in Shahrivar 1397 (September 2018) and no information about her has been reported since.

Source: Voice of America