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Iran TV airs new footage of jailed UK-Iranian detainee
NICOSIA, Jan 10, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Iranian television has published new
footage of the arrest of British-Iranian Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe at Tehran
airport in 2016, before she was sentenced to five years in prison.
The footage, aired on Wednesday and seemingly recorded on a smartphone,
shows Zaghari-Ratcliffe being approached in April 2016 by security agents at
Imam Khomeini Airport, who take her passport and start questioning her.
It was shown as part of a multi-series documentary on “enemies’
interference in domestic affairs,” the Judiciary’s news agency Mizan
reported.
“I am the prosecutor’s representative and have a warrant for your arrest,”
says a voice off the camera, as she looks concerned.
“You’ve been barred from leaving the country and must come with us to the
prosecutor’s office so that your charges are explained to you and your issue
is resolved.”
Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who worked for the Thomson Reuters Foundation — the
media organisation’s philanthropic arm — is serving a five-year jail
sentence for sedition.
She has denied all charges filed against her.
Last week, she announced plans along with prominent rights activist Narges
Mohammadi, to go on hunger strike from January 14 to 16 in Tehran’s Evin
prison to protest against the denial of medical treatment.
The documentary, titled “Out of Sight” was first aired on Ofogh TV channel.
The channel was launched on June 3, 2014 and started with “analytical
programmes” on the Iranian revolution and the Iranian-Islamic lifestyle,
according to its manager Mohsen Naji, semi-official news agency Mehr
reported.
It has since moved toward entertainment programmes and documentaries.
BSS/AFP/RY/15:38 hrs