Court upholds new 1-year sentence for Iranian-British woman

TEHRAN, Iran — An Iranian appeals tribunal has upheld a verdict sentencing an Iranian-British pistillate agelong held successful Tehran to different twelvemonth successful prison, her lawyer said Saturday.

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has already served a five-year situation condemnation successful the Islamic Republic. Her lawyer Hojjat Kermani told The Associated Press that the appeals tribunal upheld a verdict issued earlier this twelvemonth sentencing her to different year.

The verdict additionally includes a one-year question prohibition abroad, meaning she cannot permission Iran to articulation her household for astir 2 years.

In April, Zaghari-Ratcliffe was sentenced for allegedly spreading “propaganda against the system” erstwhile she participated successful a protestation successful beforehand of the Iranian Embassy successful London successful 2009.

Kermani said Zaghari-Ratcliffe was “concerned” erstwhile helium informed her astir the appeals tribunal decision. He said his lawsuit is successful interaction with her family.

State media successful Iran did not instantly admit the ruling, seemingly issued aft a closed-door hearing.

Zaghari-Ratcliffe was sentenced to 5 years successful situation aft being convicted of plotting the overthrow of Iran’s government, a complaint that she, her supporters and rights groups deny. While employed astatine the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable limb of the quality agency, she was taken into custody astatine the Tehran airdrome successful April 2016 arsenic she was returning location to Britain aft visiting family.

Rights groups impeach Iran of holding dual-nationals arsenic bargaining chips for wealth oregon power successful negotiations with the West, thing Tehran denies. Iran does not admit dual nationalities, truthful detainees similar Zaghari-Ratcliffe cannot person consular assistance.

Authorities furloughed Zaghari-Ratcliffe from situation due to the fact that of the surging coronavirus pandemic and she has been restricted to her parents’ Tehran location since.