Iran
An undated handout image released by the Free Nazanin campaign in London on June 10, 2016 shows Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe (R) posing for a photograph with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella (L). Photo: Free Nazanin Campaign/AFP
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — British-Iranian prisoner Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has been released, her lawyer Hojjat Kermani told Iranian state media outlet IRNA – though a second court hearing for her has been set for March 14.
Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been under house arrest at her parents’ home in Tehran since March 2020, when she was moved from Evin prison in the Iranian capital as part of government measures to curb the spread of coronavirus among inmates.
The 42-year-old was on her way home to London when she was arrested at Tehran's Imam Khomeini airport in April 2016 following a visit to her parents for the spring holiday of Newroz. The charity worker was an employee of the Thomson Reuters Foundation at the time.
In September 2016, she was convicted of attempting to "topple the Iranian government"– charges that were not made known to her family until much later.
Related: 'Keeping home alive': The fight to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe
Sunday marked the end of her five-year sentence.
British member of parliament Tulip Siddiq, a longtime supporter of Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s release, said she had spoken to a member of the British-Iranian national’s family who gave her news of the release.
“Thankfully her ankle tag has been removed. Her first trip will be to see her grandmother,” Siddiq said.
“Less positive – she has been summoned once again to court next Sunday.”
British foreign minister Dominic Raab welcomed Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release, but called on Iran to loosen the restrictions it has placed on her.
"We welcome the removal of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s ankle tag, but Iran’s continued treatment of her is intolerable. She must be allowed to return to the UK as soon as possible to be reunited with her family," he said.
Richard Ratcliffe, Zaghari-Ratcliffe's husband, told British news outlet PA Media that he was happy that her ankle tag has been removed, but added that “we very clearly remain in the middle of this government game of chess".
Updated at 5:27 pm
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