RICHARD Ratcliffe told Warwick District UN Association about his fight to see his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe released from an Iranian prison.
Nazanin is serving a five-year sentence over allegations, which she vehemently denies, of plotting to overthrow the Tehran government, having been arrested in 2016 during a holiday visit to show her baby daughter Gabriella, now aged five, to her parents.
Nazanin, a charity worker from London, has suffered declining physical and mental health during her detention and suffered panic attacks amid the rising political tensions in recent days.
Richard spoke about how Nazanin was arrested and the implications arising from her arrest. They have ranged from having to learn about the working of diplomatic relations between governments and mobilising support among MPs in the House of Commons, to his hunger strike at the Iranian Embassy and the impact of international geo-politics such as the effects the Iranian Nuclear Deal and sanctions could have on Nazanin`s release.
He has had two meetings with Boris Johnson but to date no has had positive response from the government to take up the case with the Iranian authorities.
He also spoke about the current situation regarding Nazanin`s health and the affect it was having on her the family, including their daughter Gabriella who arrived back in the UK just before Christmas.
Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western our local MP also addressed the 80 plus strong audience in support of Richard`s campaign, having previously joined him at his hunger strike outside the Iranian embassy last year.
The local UN Association thanked those who attended the meeting for their donations towards Richard`s on-going campaign.
