Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe: British mother jailed in Iran goes on second hunger strike in protest against 'unfair imprisonment'

‘It’s shocking that it’s come to this,’ says Amnesty director as husband Richard Ratcliffe vows to conduct his own hunger strike

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian charity worker jailed in Iran, has begun a fresh hunger strike in protest against her imprisonment, her husband has said.

The dual national and mother-of-one has been detained for the past three years after being accused of spying – a charge she strongly denies – and sentenced to five years in jail.

Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe last carried out a hunger strike in January in protest against being refused access to medical care.

On Saturday her husband Richard Ratcliffe said he had received a phone call from his wife in prison. “She had informed the judiciary that she has begun a new hunger strike (she will drink water) to protest at her continuing unfair imprisonment.

“This is something she had been threatening for a while. Nazanin had vowed that if we passed (her daughter) Gabriella’s fifth birthday with her still inside, then she would do something – to mark to both governments – that enough is enough. This really has gone on too long.”

“Today she sounded nervous, but calm. Her demand from the strike, she said, is for unconditional release. She has long been eligible for it,” Mr Ratcliffe added.

He said he would begin a continual vigil outside the Iranian Embassy in London from midday today, and also pledged he would not eat until his wife ended her hunger strike in Iran.

Mr Ratcliffe explained: “We were planning a small event in front of the Iranian Embassy to mark Gabriella’s birthday – I remember marking her second birthday there while we didn’t even know where Nazanin was, and now here we are marking her fifth.

“Given Nazanin’s decision, later today I will also begin a continual vigil in front of the Iranian Embassy, perhaps occasionally joined by friends and family.

Richard Ratcliffe, the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, outside the Iranian embassy earlier this year (PA)

“During this vigil I will also not eat, and will continue this fast until such time as her hunger strike ends. I vowed last time that if she ever went on hunger strike again, we would not leave her to go through this ordeal alone.”

Kate Allen, Amnesty International UK’s director, said she would be visiting Mr Radcliffe today and described the situation as “truly heartbreaking”.

She said: “Nazanin has already been through so much, while her tireless husband Richard has strained every sinew to get Nazanin out of jail and back to the UK where she belongs.

“Nazanin is a prisoner of conscience, unfairly jailed after a sham trial and subjected to all manner of torments – including months in solitary conferment and endless game-playing over whether she would receive vital medical care.

“It’s shocking that it’s come to this, and we and countless people across the county fervently hope the Iranian authorities will now finally do the right thing and release Nazanin.”

Foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt said he spent time discussing the case with Mr Ratcliffe on Saturday. Following the hunger strike announcement he called on Iran to “DO THE RIGHT THING … LET THIS INNOCENT WOMAN HOME” in a tweet.

Mr Hunt granted Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe diplomatic protection in March, but Tehran refuses to acknowledge her dual nationality.

Hopes she could be released as part of a prisoner swap were dashed in April when Iran backed away from reports of a possible deal. Mr Hunt said it was “unfortunate” that the Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif “somewhat retracted” his offer, after appearing to suggest she could be released.

In December, the British-Iranian charity worker completed her 1,000th day in detention.