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Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 'running out of strength' in Iran jail, say campaigners

Nazanin with her husband and daughter Gabriella: PA
Nazanin with her husband and daughter Gabriella: PA

A British woman who is currently jailed in Iran is suffering from insomnia and depression, campaigners say.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who, on Thursday will endure her 600th day in prison, is suffering severe trauma from being separated from her daughter and has shown signs of advanced depression and insomnia, say her supporters.

In her first statement since Foreign Minister Boris Johnson made a blunder that risked her facing a longer sentence in prison, the mum of one said: “I feel like I don’t have the capacity to do this anymore.

“It has been so long they have been pressuring me, and then all this these past two weeks. I do not have the strength.”

The statement released by the Free Nazanin Campaign, provided an insight into the inner thoughts of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe who was jailed on spying charges when she was visiting her family in Iran with her daughter Gabriella in April 2016.

Her case hit the headlines earlier this month when Mr Johnson accidentally told a parliamentary committee that she had been training journalists during her time in the country.

It eventually emerged that this was not the case and that Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was actually on holiday at the time. Mr Johnson apologised, however, the comments negatively impacted Mrs Zaghari Ratcliffe as Iranian State TV claimed that Mr Johnson’s comments proved that she was a spy.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and daughter Gabriella (AFP)
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and daughter Gabriella (AFP)

In her statement, she said that these false accusations were causing her anxiety.

She said: “I have really been under pressure this week. It is torture to keep hearing these lies on TV.

“People tell me here it is all about politics. But I don’t care about the politics. Surely I can be released on humanitarian grounds? There are humanitarian grounds for my baby and for me?

“I cannot wait for this turmoil to end. It keeps me on the edge all the time.”

Mrs Zaghari- Ratcliffe said that she didn’t want to be in the media and that she “just wanted to be a normal person again”.

She said: “I have been waiting for so long. All this time, away from my baby, and for what?”

Campaigners reported that she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder from her time in prison and experiences panic attacks when she is in dark or confined spaces.