The Rt. Hon. Boris Johnson MP

Prime Minister

10 Downing Street

London

SW1A 2AB

Friday, 05 November 2021

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to you regarding the continued and worsening situation facing Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, two British citizens who are both still arbitrarily detained in Iran.

It is impossible to imagine the immense hardship and distress this is causing Nazanin, Anoosheh and their families. A stark reminder of this is the hunger strike which Nazanin’s husband, Richard, is currently undertaking outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Richard has now been camped out in the cold for nearly two weeks, which shows the sheer scale of his devotion to securing Nazanin’s release as quickly as possible.

Richard’s hunger strike must raise more awareness of Nazanin’s ongoing unjust detention and reinvigorate efforts within government to bring her home to her family. I share the anger of fellow MPs and the public towards the cruel continued detention of Nazanin and Annosheh.

It represents a diplomatic failure that the UK Government has not been able to bring them home. I urge you to change tack and pursue concrete steps, including human rights sanctions, to exert fresh pressure on the Iranian authorities to end Nazanin and Anoosheh’s ordeal and allow them to come home.

Nazanin has now been detained for over five years and Anoosheh for over four years. The UK must step up its efforts as an urgent priority.

Yours sincerely,

Gill Furniss MP

Member of Parliament for Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough