In profile: British-Iranian mother who was jailed in Iran

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azanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s sentence is scheduled to come back to an finish this weekend, almost 5 years after she was first locked up in a Tehran jail.

The 42-year-old charity employee, of Hampstead, north-west London was sentenced to 5 years in jail over allegations, which she denies, of plotting to overthrow the Tehran authorities, having been arrested in 2016 throughout a vacation go to to point out her child daughter Gabriella to her mother and father.

The British-Iranian twin nationwide has at all times insisted she was not working for Thomson Reuters Foundation in Iran on the time of her arrest.

During her detention, household and buddies in the UK have lengthy fought for her freedom, and in the course of the world coronavirus pandemic she was granted short-term launch.

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In late February 2020, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was reported to have contracted the illness because it unfold by way of Iran and the Evin jail, however she was by no means examined.

Weeks later, in mid-March, she was initially allowed to her mother and father’ house and the short-term furlough was later prolonged amid hopes she can be granted clemency.

She has remained underneath home arrest at her dad or mum’s Tehran house ever since.

Richard Ratcliffe / PA Wire

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has barely seen her daughter all through her imprisonment, however was granted a three-day launch in summer time 2018.

After three years along with her grandparents, Gabriella, then aged 5, was allowed to return to her father in the UK in October 2019, however, throughout Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s furlough, the household have frequently spoken on video chat.

Her husband Richard Ratcliffe beforehand informed the PA information company that earlier than his spouse’s detention, she was “actually, actually proud” of Iran.

“The Iran she knew and he or she cherished will not be the Iran that has handled her this fashion. That is without doubt one of the hardest issues,” he stated.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature on the capital’s college, earlier than turning into an English trainer.

Following a devastating earthquake in Iran in 2003, she went to work as a translator in the aid effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe along with her husband Richard Ratcliffe and their daughter Gabriella / PA Media

She then went on to work for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, earlier than transferring to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe got here to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to check for a masters in communication administration.

It was a month after her arrival in the UK that she met her future husband by way of mutual buddies.

Describing their first date, Mr Ratcliffe stated they “clicked” and he felt like he had “come house”.

The couple received married in August 2009 in Winchester and Gabriella was born in June 2014, one thing Mr Ratcliffe stated modified each their outlooks on life.

“It was essential for Nazanin to maintain going again to Iran to point out her daughter to her mother and father … earlier than she would at all times go yearly, however she tried to go twice after,” he stated.

Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe started working at Thomson Reuters Foundation in 2011 as a venture co-ordinator earlier than taking over the position of a venture supervisor.

Mr Ratcliffe has described his spouse as very house-proud, meticulous and tidy, and stated she has a “fairly eager sense of justice”.

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