Family of Brit mum jailed in Iran convinced she’s got coronavirus and says prison refusing to test her
NAZANIN Zaghari-Ratcliffe husband believes she has caught coronavirus in a Iranian jail but that she is being denied a test and treatment.
Richard Ratcliffe said his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has repeatedly asked to be tested for the virus at the Evin prison in Tehran, following a “strange cold” that has not improved in more than five days.
Read our coronavirus live blog for all the latest news and updates
Now the UK Government has called on the Iranian government to “immediately allow” health professionals into the prison to assess British-Iranian dual nationals.
Although there are currently no confirmed cases at the prison, Covid-19 has spread rapidly across Iran.
Hospital sources have said there have been at least 210 deaths amid 593 patients identified.
In an update on Saturday, issued through the Free Nazanin Campaign, Mr Ratcliffe said his wife had seen “no improvement” and was suffering with a continual cold sweat and a feeling of nausea.
In a phone call with her family, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe , 41, said: “For a long time this has not felt like a normal cold.
“These symptoms have lasted almost a week. I know I need to get medicine to get better. This does not go magically.”
We are concerned by the prison authorities’ refusal to test her and the wider suppression of coronavirus inside the Iranian prison system
Richard Ratcliffe
Mr Ratcliffe said his wife had informed the prison guards of her symptoms and that she suspected she could be suffering from coronavirus, but she is yet to be tested.
Following reports of conditions at the prison on Friday, he said a new batch of disinfectants, gloves and masks were made available to the ward.
“We are concerned by the prison authorities’ refusal to test her and the wider suppression of coronavirus inside the Iranian prison system,” Mr Ratcliffe said.
“We call on the UK Government to insist that Nazanin is tested for coronavirus immediately and is treated properly.
“We further call on the Prime Minister to take charge as part of his coronavirus efforts to ensure that British Iranians held hostage in Evin prison are diplomatically protected.”
Lack of medicine, disinfectant, bleach and antiseptic in prison shops has forced prisoners to depend on washing liquid to stay clean, while the guards enjoy a supply of essentials, he wrote in the I Paper.
Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe who already suffers from unexplained collapses to irregular heartbeats, is exhibiting cold-like symptoms including a “severe” sore throat and waking up shivering.
Mr Ratcliffe now fears she has caught coronavirus, which has already claimed 22 lives in the country.
His comments come after Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said that, while the Iranian authorities have denied any outbreak of coronavirus at the prison, he would “not always take as authoritative” such remarks.
Writing for the i newspaper, Mr Ratcliffe said: “On Monday we heard reports of cases, on Tuesday of a ward evacuated as a quarantine area.
“By Wednesday there were rumours of prisoners losing their life, as there had been in other prisons across the country.
“By Thursday, the judiciary was announcing plans to send eligible prisoners home temporarily.
“From far away it is hard to assess the risk calmly in Nazanin’s case – knowing we are not being told the truth is not the same as knowing what the truth is. But this week the panic grew.”
He described Iran’s initial response to the virus as a “bravado” and “a refusal to acknowledge the extent of the problem.”
‘EXTREMELY CONCERNED’
He also intensified his calls on the British Government to secure his wife’s release, saying: “Nazanin could have been released years ago, if promises had been kept. Just how far does this need to go.”
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has said it remains “extremely concerned” about Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s welfare.
An FCO spokesman said: “The Government remains extremely concerned about the welfare of British-Iranian dual nationals detained in Iran, including Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe.
“We continue to raise their cases at the most senior levels. The Prime Minister has raised his concerns about dual national detentions with President Rouhani, and the Foreign Secretary with Foreign Minister Zarif.”
Most read in news
Nazanin was arrested at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini airport while travelling to show her young daughter, Gabriella, to her parents in April 2016.
She was sentenced to five years in prison over allegations, which she denies, of plotting to overthrow the Tehran government.
She was later afforded diplomatic protection by the UK Government, which argues that she is innocent and that her treatment by Iran failed to meet obligations under international law.
