Nazanin Zaghari's family expresses hope for her imminent release
Nazanin Zaghari's husband says he is more hopeful than ever for the release of the British citizen of Iranian descent. He said that Ms. Zaghari's lawyer in prison informed him that the process for her possible release has begun.
Richard Ratcliffe said on Thursday, December 20, that Nazanin's lawyer met with him in prison yesterday and told my wife that her case, which had been closed until now, has now been made available and she can be released ahead of schedule.
Mr. Ratcliffe said he was eligible for “early release.” Under Iranian law, early release can be granted after a pardon or parole by judicial authorities.
Mr Ratcliffe said: "Her lawyer was very excited after hearing the news and told Nazanin that she would be released as soon as the necessary paperwork was completed. This process may take another two weeks but it seems very likely that she will be released."
Ms. Zaghari is an employee of the Thomson Reuters Charity Foundation who was arrested at Tehran Airport in April 2016 while returning to the UK with her young daughter after spending a vacation and visiting her family.
Nazanin Zaghari was sentenced to five years in prison on charges of soft subversion. She appeared to be eligible for early release in late 2017 and early 2018.
“Nazanin’s family is very happy to hear this news and we hope that this nightmare will end in the next few days,” her husband said on Thursday. Iranian authorities have not confirmed her imminent release, but the deputy prosecutor of Tehran, who visited Nazanin in prison, asked her what she needed other than her release, and Nazanin replied that she had no other desire than to be released.
Mr. Ratcliffe reported that Mohammad Javad Zarif met with the Attorney General of Tehran last week regarding Nazanin's case.
It seems that the increased efforts in Iran to release Zaghari followed the visit of British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, although some Friday prayer leaders, such as Alam al-Huda, criticized his trip to release the "unclean, traitorous spy."
Source: Voice of America
