Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe- how to support her and her husband

Winecheesesleep · 12/11/2021 11:48

I'd like to know too. I've signed every petition going and written to my MP and each foreign secretary but would love to do more. It's such a horrible situation.

Suzi888 · 12/11/2021 11:49

Me too. What the hell, it’s despicable. That poor woman. Her DH is on a hunger strike isn’t he…

I don’t know what else to do either, so bump.

xxxGirlCrushxxx · 12/11/2021 11:51

If his hunger strike doesn't get her released, what then? They have a child in all this. Looks like she will now lose her Dad too

megletthesecond · 12/11/2021 11:55

Same.
It feels like a dead end. It can't be.

FinallyHere · 12/11/2021 11:56

Just found this thread, hoping that there would be a suggestion for something we could do.

Despairing.

ohfourfoxache · 12/11/2021 11:58

Placemarking and bumping - horrendous situation

HeartsAndClubs · 12/11/2021 11:59

So he’s now on hunger strike. And who exactly is that benefiting? Certainly not his 7 year old daughter who seems to be being used as an emotional card in all of this.

I have a huge amount of sympathy for her, although in truth none of us knows what’s really going on there. But as much as he wants her home, he has a child to think of, and that child should come first. I’m finding it hard to be very sympathetic towards him.

thewhatsit · 12/11/2021 12:00

Can anything be done though?

I understand they won’t release her until we pay the money we owe Iran.. but it goes against sanctions and we’d be in a lot of trouble internationally to repay the money.

It’s desperately sad.

thewhatsit · 12/11/2021 12:03

I read an interview with him (and yes, I am desperately sad for him and his daughter) and just came away from it thinking.. so what is the point of the hunger strike? He knows, the government knows, everyone knows, it’s about this huge sum of money we owe Iran, what he was suggesting didn’t add up to anything concrete either.
I suppose he just wants to feel he is doing all he can.

HeartsAndClubs · 12/11/2021 12:04

They haven’t directly said that she will be released if the government pays them though. But either if that was the case, we cannot allow one person to be used as a political bargaining chip like this.

At this stage she would be best to sit it out and hope that she is allowed to leave the country at some point. She has been sentenced but she is actually still free, she just isn’t free to leave the country.

NoSquirrels · 12/11/2021 12:04

@xxxGirlCrushxxx

If his hunger strike doesn't get her released, what then? They have a child in all this. Looks like she will now lose her Dad too

He’s said he won’t take it to that extreme. He won’t let her lose him.

The hunger strike was to demand attention be paid to her situation as it looked/looks as if she may be reimprisoned. She’s currently not in prison but cannot leave Iran. They can put her back in prison at any time they like.

His hunger strike has raised awareness again about her situation and is putting pressure on government. But they need to pay Iran a huge amount of money and it doesn’t look like that’s on the cards.

It’s utterly shit but don’t blame him for taking this action. Understand his motives and reasons. There are loads of articles where he speaks - one in the Guardian recently, anyone who is feeling unsympathetic to him and his actions should Google it and read up.

Ozanj · 12/11/2021 12:05

@TableTopTennis

I am just appalled by her continued imprisonment. Her husband always speaks with such dignity and calm but he must be absolutely desperate. He's on hunger strike now.

I want to support his campaign, and pressure our Government to do more, but how? Is there anything I can do other than writing to my MP?

A bunch of us are writing to Amal Clooney to get involved - we’ve been told she’s looking into the case & will get involved if and when appropriate but this really needs a high profile Islamic-origin lawyer who can spotlight this to the international community & force Britain and Iran into an agreement. I feel the Tories are not giving it the attention it deserves because BJ caused it.

HeartsAndClubs · 12/11/2021 12:07

And what happens if he dies? What happens to his daughter? As harsh as it sounds, she will barely remember her mother. Yes, it’s said that she asks every night when Mummy’s coming home, but much of that will have come from the language of those around her. She was far too little to remember much before her mother was detained.

But her father is a constant in her life. Even if her mum were to come home, if he isn’t there, it’s going to be a traumatic experience for her.

thewhatsit · 12/11/2021 12:07

@HeartsAndClubs

They haven’t directly said that she will be released if the government pays them though. But either if that was the case, we cannot allow one person to be used as a political bargaining chip like this.

At this stage she would be best to sit it out and hope that she is allowed to leave the country at some point. She has been sentenced but she is actually still free, she just isn’t free to leave the country.

I don’t think Iran is ever going to come out and admit she is just a hostage though is she, even though it’s clear she is.

But what can possibly be “done”? The only thing I can think of is sending in special forces or something to re-capture her. I wonder if that’s been considered. I’m sure Iran would be furious if so but..

Ozanj · 12/11/2021 12:08

I know people are writing to Narendra Modi too to have this highlighted as part of usual trade with Iran but there is a feeling India possibly would want to act similarly with non-residents with OCIs and so there’s no point. It’s so, so frustrating. Our group doesn’t know enough about Middle Eastern politics to dare approach a lawyer there but if anyone does and have names pls share!

HeartsAndClubs · 12/11/2021 12:09

He’s said he won’t take it to that extreme. He won’t let her lose him. so what is the point then? He’s said publicly that he won’t die, so everyone knows that at some point soon he’s going to end this hunger strike.

Bearing in mind he’s 20 days in now it’s not exactly made much difference has it?

ssd · 12/11/2021 12:13

The man is desperate, he's making a point as he's running out of options.
Thats the point of this.

What else can he do, no one is listening.

My heart breaks for him, and his mum who visits him every day.

Bicnod · 12/11/2021 12:26

@HeartsAndClubs

And what happens if he dies? What happens to his daughter? As harsh as it sounds, she will barely remember her mother. Yes, it’s said that she asks every night when Mummy’s coming home, but much of that will have come from the language of those around her. She was far too little to remember much before her mother was detained.

But her father is a constant in her life. Even if her mum were to come home, if he isn’t there, it’s going to be a traumatic experience for her.

She spent a lot of time under house arrest at her parents' house which is where her daughter was living before they decided to bring her back to the UK. I would assume the reason their daughter stayed in Iran for so long was so that she could be close to her mother.

Original poster

TableTopTennis · 12/11/2021 12:28

I have a huge amount of sympathy for her, although in truth none of us knows what’s really going on there

I think all of us know what is going on here. She is being used as a bargaining chip / to humiliate the UK government. The Iranian regime has form for this. Its no secret.

OP posts:

Original poster

TableTopTennis · 12/11/2021 12:29

A bunch of us are writing to Amal Clooney to get involved - we’ve been told she’s looking into the case & will get involved if and when appropriate but this really needs a high profile Islamic-origin lawyer who can spotlight this to the international community & force Britain and Iran into an agreement

Thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

TableTopTennis · 12/11/2021 12:31

@Ozanj

I know people are writing to Narendra Modi too to have this highlighted as part of usual trade with Iran but there is a feeling India possibly would want to act similarly with non-residents with OCIs and so there’s no point. It’s so, so frustrating. Our group doesn’t know enough about Middle Eastern politics to dare approach a lawyer there but if anyone does and have names pls share!

Thanks

I just can't imagine living with what that family are. The daughter not being able to be with or hug her mum, the mum not being able to hold her daughter. The husband doing all he can but still feeling so helpless.
I just don't know how they live with it.

I was furious when I heard BJ make that fuck up about why she was in Iran. Stupid incompetent reckless man!

OP posts:

xxxGirlCrushxxx · 12/11/2021 12:49

Really stupid input alert coming here.... but...

Iran want to humiliate the U.K. government, then how humiliating would it be if Iran accepted payment raised by the ' pissed off with our government' residents?

FinallyHere · 12/11/2021 13:45

if Iran accepted payment raised by the ' pissed off with our government' residents?

I love the idea of this but just don't see how you would find the right contacts.

How could you verify in advance that the people willing to accept the payment would actually have the power to release her and let her out of the country ?

Difficult enough at diplomatic levels (though Johnson's gaff was of course spectacularly ill-judged) but without contacts ... fraught with difficult challenges.

Ozanj · 12/11/2021 13:46

@xxxGirlCrushxxx

Really stupid input alert coming here.... but...

Iran want to humiliate the U.K. government, then how humiliating would it be if Iran accepted payment raised by the ' pissed off with our government' residents?

Iran isn’t just doing this to humiliate the UK. They are doing this to protect national sovereignty & a lot of countries actually support their right to do it (Russia, China, Israel, Korea, all have similarly harsh penalties on dual citizens. India has so far side stepped this by not allowing dual citizenship but have always been interested in exploring how far they can take the OCI visa they issue). Nazneen is a citizen of Iran and as such it is Iran’s right to try her as per the laws of Iran; if they think she’s a spy and she’s an Iranian citizen that means she can be tried for treason.

Nazneen’s situation prompted a lot of Iranian born ‘dual citizens’ to give up their passports (it’s needed if you want to own or claim property / land) and in doing so probably surrendered a significant amount of property and savings to the government coffers.

xxxGirlCrushxxx · 12/11/2021 14:59

I had a stupid idea of crowdfunding/gofundme raising the money and going to Iran with it to say 'here, we've done it ourselves, our government is shit'

but yes, too simplistic and would probably make things worse not better

and yes, its about more than humiliation...lots more. poor family. I actually do believe the public could raise a huge chunk of money but nowhere near 400m