Getting involved in a situation similar to ours is much easier, and more frequent than anybody may think.

To prevent this from happening to other innocent people, please sign and share this petition - and help us make it a law for the British Government and the FCO to defend its citizens in other countries by asking your MP to include the legal right to consular protection in their party manifesto. 

How Long Should We Be Patient?

My husband Anoosheh Ashoori, a peace-loving 65-year-old retired engineer, was arrested by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in August 2017 during a routine trip to Iran to visit his ailing mother.

He has been unjustly incarcerated in the notorious Evin Prison for 27 months even though he has never been involved in any kind of political or government-related activity. He was convicted of spying for Israel and given two separate sentences of 10 and 2 years, even though NO evidence against him was presented by the Judiciary.

His case is particularly unfair as his only crime is that of holding a British and an Iranian passport, making him a perfect target for Iranian authorities to use as a "bargaining chip" in their ongoing legal dispute with the British Government.

He is one of the innocent people Jeremy Hunt acknowledged was ‘being held by Iran for diplomatic leverage’

He has had to endure solitary confinement, a lengthy hunger strike and intense psychological torture that have resulted in occasional bouts of depression and emotional scars, from which he will most likely never recover.

Throughout this time, we have been advised by the Foreign Office to pursue the diplomatic route and to be patient while they do their "best" to free him and other innocent dual nationals like him.

Nothing has been achieved yet because the British Government has failed in its duty to protect its own citizens abroad. He was denied legal representation for his trial, he has not been allowed any consular access, and he has been denied suitable medical or dental care. 

When we decided to approach the FCO to ask for assistance, we were under the misguided notion that they will help alleviate his plight. We erroneously thought that British citizens would be protected, provided with medical and consular support, and ultimately released through government intervention.

However, not only this has not materialised, time and time again, we have been given the same cliché excuses as to why they are unable to do anything. Despite promises of help from the Foreign Office and a succession of foreign ministers, we have yet to see any concrete action from the British Government.

As British citizens, my children and I have had to stand by and watch helplessly as my husband continues to suffer and languish in prison, while we lose precious moments together as a family; moments that will be forever lost...

Sherry Izadi is the wife of Anoosheh Ashoori and lives in London. They have two children. More information on Anoosheh’s case can be found here.