The Reader: Put pressure on Iran to free my unjustly jailed constituent

I AM deeply troubled to hear that my constituent, Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, faces further charges at the hands of the Iranian Revolutionary Court [“New charge to extend Nazanin’s prison term”, May 21]. This West Hampstead mother has been arbitrarily imprisoned for over two years, suffering human rights abuses throughout her detention.

Her latest appearance before a judge, in which he confirmed a new “case” against her, has come as a bitter blow to her husband Richard and all those campaigning for her release. The judge confirmed that Nazanin was again accused of “being involved in overthrowing the regime”, an accusation that is as far- fetched as it is baseless.

Nazanin’s case is made even more pressing by the allegation that she is being detained due to a dispute over historic debt that is owed to Iran by Britain. The Government must clarify whether this is the case.

Though I welcome the development that the British Ambassador has finally been able to speak to Nazanin on the phone, her freedom feels as distant as at any point of her detention. In the call with the Ambassador, Nazanin asked if he would issue a formal letter of protest at her treatment. After two years of unjustifiable detention, this letter should be issued without delay.

Nazanin’s father told Boris Johnson that he would be Nazanin’s hero if he could secure her release. I would agree with that.
Tulip Siddiq
MP for Hampstead and Kilburn (Lab)

EDITOR'S REPLY

Dear Tulip

IT IS all too easy to let the plight of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe fall away from public attention and I applaud you for speaking out, and for making a demand for an official letter of protest.

The Foreign Office has said in response to this latest case against Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe that it will not provide “a running commentary on every twist and turn”. However, why her plight has gone on for so long — now over two years — means one has to wonder why the background negotiations have, until this point, produced little to commentate on.

You talk about “freedom for my constituent”. When Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s local MP is making more noise about her release than the Government, something has gone seriously awry. We’ve shown the hand of friendship to Iran over maintaining the nuclear deal, despite Donald Trump withdrawing, and yet have not drawn a concession in return — that of the release of one of our own citizens.

If, after two years, nothing has been achieved, it might be time to change the course of action, or the actors involved.

Joy Lo Dico, Executive Editor (Projects)

Rent rises can be fatal for business

YOUR report that Carluccio’s will close a third of its restaurants [May 17] had a clue as to why: landlords. When a business is struggling it obviously does everything it can to reduce costs — it sacks staff, cuts back on overheads, maybe puts prices up. But what is the one thing that is immovable until desperation sets in? The landlord’s claim.

Only when a landlord sees that a business may fold and therefore that he won’t get his rent will he consider agreeing to a reduction, and even then maybe not if it is more profitable to leave the site out of use in a time of rising property prices, and even then maybe not if it is more profitable to hold the site out of use in a time of rising property prices. Of course, the same applies to house rentals.

It is the community which creates wealth — just look at what happens to property prices around a railway station when it is built — and it is the community that should benefit.
Philip Goldsmith