Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran, has been moved to a psychiatric ward in hospital, reports the BBC.
The 40-year-old was arrested in Tehran in 2016, accused of spying and jailed for five years. She denies the charge.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The development comes after Zaghari-Ratcliffe went on hunger strike for 15 days last month to protest her detention. The Guardian notes that it also comes as tensions between Iran and the UK, “have increased yet further recently”.
Her father said he visited the hospital on Tuesday but was not allowed to see his daughter. The Free Nazanin Campaign said it is not known how long she is expected to remain in hospital.
Before being transferred, Zaghari-Ratcliffe told relatives: “I was healthy and happy when I came to Iran to see my parents.
“Three and a bit years later and I am admitted to a mental health clinic. Look at me now - I ended up in an asylum. It should be an embarrassment.”
Her husband Richard said: “Hopefully her transfer to hospital means that she is getting treatment and care, despite my distrust of just what pressures can happen behind closed doors. It is unnerving when we don't know what is going on.”
The Foreign Office said it was “extremely concerned about the welfare of Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe”.
A spokesman said: “We urge Iran to allow family members to visit and check on her care as a matter of urgency. We will continue to call for her release at the highest levels.”
In 2017 Boris Johnson was forced to apologise after saying that Zaghari-Ratcliffe was in Iran “teaching people journalism”. Her family insist she was there to visit relatives.
The Tory leadership hopeful has repeatedly said the responsibility for her continued detention lies with the Revolutionary Guard.
-
Could U.S. Tomahawk missiles help Ukraine end the war?Today's Big Question Or is Trump bluffing?
-
Political cartoons for October 17Cartoons Friday's editorial cartoons include Tomahawk missile talk, the price of red meat, and the bestest boy reports from the Pentagon press room
-
The ‘swag gap’: are you better than your partner?In The Spotlight The viral terminology sheds light on power dynamics in modern relationships
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
'Axis of upheaval': will China summit cement new world order?Today's Big Question Xi calls on anti-US alliance to cooperate in new China-led global system – but fault lines remain
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
Iran still has enriched uranium, Israeli official saysSpeed Read It remains unclear how long it would take Iran to rebuild its nuclear program following US and Israeli attacks
-
IAEA: Iran could enrich uranium 'within months'Speed Read The chief United Nations nuclear inspector, Rafael Grossi, says Iran could be enriching uranium again soon
