An open letter to His Excellency Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Khamenei from supporter of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, Jessica Learmond-Criqui.

Ham & High: Hampstead lawyer Jessica Learmond-Criqui. Picture: FIONA CAMPBELLHampstead lawyer Jessica Learmond-Criqui. Picture: FIONA CAMPBELL (Image: copyright Fiona Campbell 2014)

The Supreme Leader

The Islamic Republic of Iran

Your Excellency,

I am reaching out to you again with great respect and appealing to you in relation to the condition and circumstances of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe.

Nazanin remains imprisoned in Evin prison parted from her very young daughter. Today, as I write this letter to you, Nazanin has endured over 700 days in custody.

The reason for writing is to appeal to your great influence in assisting in facilitating the release of Nazanin as a gesture of humanity and empathy.

Such a supreme and generous gesture would be very much welcome around the time of Nowruz. This would be celebrated by Nazanin and her loved ones on the beginning of a ‘new year.’

Spring time is also a time of rebirth and the returning to full-life and growth within nature. This time would symbolically enable the rebirth of Nazarin back to her family and the consequent blossoming of the love between mother and daughter.

The gift of granting freedom would be a priceless and benevolent gift that Iran, in its position of privilege and power, could graciously bestow upon a mother and child during this time.

In 2010, the UN General Assembly established International Nowruz Day, recognizing that the festival “promotes values of peace and solidarity between generations and within families as well as reconciliation and neighbourliness, thus contributing to cultural diversity and friendship among peoples and different communities.”

I please ask for your consideration in the release of Nazanin before or during the festival of Nowruz so that she can celebrate her freedom and enjoy the comfort and embrace of her family and daughter during this auspicious time.

With my sincerest wishes and many thanks.