Statement from Thomson Reuters Foundation CEO Monique Villa in response to granting of diplomatic protection to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe

We hope the diplomatic protection – which means that her case will now be treated as a formal, legal dispute between Britain and Iran – will facilitate British embassy visits to our colleague Nazanin, who has been unjustly imprisoned for nearly three years, and help her finally receive the urgent medical care she is in need of outside Evin prison. 

Nazanin has been unwell for years but, in the last six months, both her mental and physical health have been deteriorating rapidly with all manner of worrying symptoms. She has not been allowed to receive the medical assistance her doctors inside Evin prison say she requires, despite the promise made by the authorities during her three-day hunger strike in January. 

We renew our plea for the Iranian authorities to release Nazanin as soon as possible. We know our colleague is innocent and we want her back in London with her husband Richard and daughter Gabriella. All of us at the Thomson Reuters Foundation have been awaiting her return for far too long.” 

Monique Villa – CEO, Thomson Reuters Foundation