Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe…

[pastoralguy]

I’m sure I can’t be the only member who has been much moved by the stance that her husband is taking in response to what looks like a hostage situation and the pitiful response from a ‘government’ who increasingly seem to have forgotten that the first rule of government is to protect their citizens. To this end, Mrs. PG and I have written to our MP, (whom we have a great deal of respect for), to try to enlist her help in putting pressure on the government to end this appalling situation.

Thoughts?

[johncorrigan]

I’m sure I can’t be the only member who has been much moved by the stance that her husband is taking in response to what looks like a hostage situation and the pitiful response from a ‘government’ who increasingly seem to have forgotten that the first rule of government is to protect their citizens. To this end, Mrs. PG and I have written to our MP, (whom we have a great deal of respect for), to try to enlist her help in putting pressure on the government to end this appalling situation.

Thoughts?

I heard an interview with her husband yesterday and thought him very strong in his approach saying that he was not doing this to end his life; that he would stop when his health had reached a point that put him in danger. The interviewer had suggested that Nazanin was worried about him in her prison. It seems to me that the government keep wanting to brush Johnson's original faux pas under the carpet, but her husband wants to keep the welfare of his wife right in the news. A very brave stance by him. I like your idea of writing to your MP about this, pastoralguy.

[Bryn]

I heard an interview with her husband yesterday and thought him very strong in his approach saying that he was not doing this to end his life; that he would stop when his health had reached a point that put him in danger. The interviewer had suggested that Nazanin was worried about him in her prison. It seems to me that the government keep wanting to brush Johnson's original faux pas under the carpet, but her husband wants to keep the welfare of his wife right in the news. A very brave stance by him. I like your idea of writing to your MP about this, pastoralguy.

Fortunately, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is currently under house arrest, rather than in prison. Johnson's role in her continued detention cannot be overstressed. He shares the Iranian state's guilt in this crime.

[ahinton]

Fortunately, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is currently under house arrest, rather than in prison. Johnson's role in here continued detention cannot be overstressed. He shares the Iranian state's guilt in this crime.

I do not know whether or to what extent the funds allegedly owed to Iran by UK are being treated as a factor in this although, as the two cases are entirely unconnected, they should not be; that said, successive UK governments have been unacceptably dilatory in engaging with Iran over what is supposedly owes to it. What bothers me beyond that, whether or not it might be the case), is that the Iranian government will likely put up two fingers to anything said or done by UK government on this and for that in particular, if nothing else, UK government is arguably not at fault. There are of course other UK citizens also unjustly detained by Iran. I have of course e very sympathy for the immensely courageous Richard Radcliffe, but does anyone have a solution that can be guaranteed to work by forcing Iran to release Nazanin and all the others forthwith?

[LHC]

Fortunately, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is currently under house arrest, rather than in prison. Johnson's role in her continued detention cannot be overstressed. He shares the Iranian state's guilt in this crime.

I agree that Johnson’s dire performance as Foreign Minister was particularly unhelpful, and probably contributed to prolonging her detention. However, we should also be mindful of the difficulties inherent in dealing with the Iranian government.

I know of other cases involving Iranians with dual nationality who have been arrested on spying charges. In those cases the advice has always been to not involve the Foreign Office or the press in campaigning for their release, but to leave it entirely to local, Iranian lawyers. The reason for doing so is that if a foreign government gets involved in a case, or if the Western media start reporting it, the Iranian government takes this as proof that the detainee is an important person, and either a spy, or at the very least someone they can use to put pressure on the foreign government. If no one in the West appears to be interested in their detention, then they are clearly not important, and therefore of little benefit to the Iranian government. In the cases I am aware of, the detainees have been quietly released after a few months.

The lesson from this appears to be that the more the FCO do to try and secure Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release, the more likely it is that the Iranian government will hold on to her.

I suspect that the Iranians now see this as a way of securing the long withheld debt payments and will not budge until that money is paid (and possibly not even then).

[jayne lee wilson]

Richard R in the Guardian on Tuesday....

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/09/richard-ratcliffe-17-days-of-hunger-strike-nazanin-iran

"Follow the money" indeed.... beyond continuing to write, support and campaign wherever possible I'm not sure what else one can do....because as AH says you are dealing with an Iranian Government that will simply do what it likes, perceiving the UK Government to... be just the same, have abandoned its EU Authority, weight or influence....

And after recent wrecking-ball UK Governmental Corruption, Caprice and Insouciance, well....
But still - a new Commons Motion and debate could push things on...

[oddoneout]

Richard R in the Guardian on Tuesday....

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/nov/09/richard-ratcliffe-17-days-of-hunger-strike-nazanin-iran

"Follow the money" indeed.... beyond continuing to write, support and campaign wherever possible I'm not sure what else one can do....because as AH says you are dealing with an Iranian Government that will simply do what it likes, perceiving the UK Government to... be just the same, have abandoned its EU Authority, weight or influence....

And after recent wrecking-ball UK Governmental Corruption, Caprice and Insouciance, well....

What I find particularly distressing is that there is a young child caught up in this awful mess.

[Dave2002]

Of course the "joke" is that the person who seemingly made things worse, and initially supposedly "in charge of" the FCO is now supposedly also in charge of the whole of the UK!

[jayne lee wilson]

Latest..... never forget......

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-59275772

[pastoralguy]

He will need specialist nutritional help on his recovery since eating normally after such a fast would probably kill him very quickly. The fact that he drank fluids during the last three weeks will have been of enormous benefit to him but he may well have caused himself irreversible harm.

I absolutely support him in his stand for his wife and this whole sorry matter shows the absolute contempt the government has for its citizens. Yes, I appreciate that there are many others in similar situations who are getting little or no exposure but what chance do they have if the ‘government’ chose to be so ineffectual in such a high profile case?

Did anyone see ‘Have I got news for you’ last night? Boy, did the host, Victoria Coran-Mitchell give Liz Truss a kicking?! Not that she’ll give a damn.