Family’s fears for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe after coronavirus outbreak in prison

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband fears she is at risk from coronavirus in Evin prison amid reports one inmate has died.

Richard Ratcliffe intensified his calls on the British government to secure his wife’s release saying it has “an obligation to keep her alive”.

British-Iranian mother Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 41, has spent four years in prison on espionage charges which she strenuously denies.

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has said the UK’s ambassador to Iran, where at least 26 patients have died so far and hundreds are infected, has raised concerns with the regime, saying official denials are not always “authoritative”.

Richard Ratcliffe pictured with daughter Gabriella 
Reuters

He told MPs today that UK officials are trying to find out more as the country struggled with an outbreak centred on a holy site.

There have been reports of three cases in Evin jail and rumours of a death on Wednesday in its clinic.

Mr Ratcliffe, 45, said his wife’s family in Iran have been told face-to-face visits in the prison are now banned, inmates have run out of disinfectant and his wife has cold-like symptoms.

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The accountant, who lives with the couple’s daughter Gabriella, five, in West Hampstead, said: “ Hopefully it is just a cold… We have to keep calm, but she is sitting in a prison feeling a bit ill, feeling worried, with no ability to sanitise things properly. Nazanin told her mum yesterday that the prison has run out of disinfectant, and run out of antiseptic soap, and the only thing they have got is washing-up liquid.”

He added: “If there is coronavirus running through the prison then this could have nasty consequences. Nazanin is clearly in harm’s way.”

Experts warned the epidemic in Iran is far worse than authorities say. Dr Homayoun Kheyri, a cell biologist, said: “You should be honest with the people. The cases are all over Iran.”

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