Political Charges Trap British-Iranian Family in Legal Nightmare

Nasrin Roshan, a 60-year-old Iranian-British citizen, was arrested just as she was about to legally leave Tehran on November 16, 2023.

She was accompanied by her second cousin, Sara Tabrizi, a young woman who wished to immigrate to Britain.

Twenty-year-old Sara died under suspicious circumstances sometime after her release, and Nasrin Roshan remains imprisoned despite suffering from various illnesses.

According to the judiciary, Roshan must serve four years in prison because she participated in the anniversary ceremony of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in Cairo.

She was also charged with taking part in protests outside Iran against the death of Mahsa Amini.

Nasrin Roshan is a housewife who immigrated to Britain with her husband approximately 25 years ago.

She has a 20-year-old daughter named Hasti, slightly younger than Sara and Ahmad, her cousin's twins.

In November 2023, she traveled to Iran to visit her ailing aunt.

Despite their previous decision to refrain from visiting Iran due to their involvement in overseas Iranian protests and attending the commemoration ceremony of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in Cairo, the critical condition of her aunt compelled her to make the journey and bid her farewell.

Originally intending to return to London on November 16, she, along with her cousin Sara Tabrizi, faced an unforeseen ordeal at the airport and was taken into custody.

Subsequently, Nasrin faced trial in Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court, presided over by Judge Iman Afshari.

Roshan has been detained for over six months now.

According to her husband, Arash Asiaei, she has been accused of various charges, including "participating in the commemoration ceremony of the late Shah of Iran, engaging in protests outside Iran, conspiring against the country's internal and external security, and disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic."

Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Roshan to four years' imprisonment for "assembly and collusion," and an additional eight months for "propaganda against the Islamic Republic."

Asiaei expressed bewilderment over the severity of the sentence, asserting that his wife, like many Iranians, "had merely participated in overseas protests."

According to Asiaei, Judge Iman Afshari made a disturbing statement to Roshan during the trial: "I said that I don't like the lawyer; you brought a lawyer? For this reason, I will give you the severest punishment."

He also recounted the circumstances of his wife and Sara Tabrizi's arrest: "November 16 was the day my wife had to return to London.

"They had gone to the airport with Sara. Sara was the same age as our daughter, Sara and Sanam were twins and they were born a few months older than Hasti, and we had a close relationship.

"We took our daughter to Iran many times and she played with them. Sara also wanted to come to Britain, but unfortunately, she did not get her wish.

"After the arrest, they were first taken to Sara Tabrizi's house.

"They looked everywhere, even inside the pots. We do not know what they were looking for.

"Seven or eight agents closed the alley to create fear in the family. From there, they were taken directly to Ward 209 of Evin Prison."

"My wife was in solitary confinement and under interrogation for seven weeks. She was under mental torture and her physical diseases, including arthritis and osteoporosis, unfortunately worsened. Unfortunately, solitary confinement placed a great burden on my wife's shoulders."

After the interrogation, according to Nasrin Roshan's husband, she was transferred to Evin Women's Prison and is still there.

"It's not just my wife who is old and sick," he explains. "There are more than ten prisoners over 70 years old and about 25 women over 60 years old in that ward."

"Due to anxiety, she has a prolapsed heart mitral valve, severe arthritis, osteoporosis, and a back disc," he said.

Regarding his wife's treatment and medical assistance, he lamented: "Medically, she is really in trouble. They don't give her medicines, they reject the supplementary pills we send her with various excuses and don't give them to her. They did not give her depression medication and said that you should take the medication that we give."

He says that the judiciary of the Islamic Republic engaged in deception to prevent their family from reporting the matter to the media and informing the British government.

He stated, "After the death of Sara Tabrizi, they requested my wife and presented her with a letter from the prosecutor's office, stating that her sentence was reduced from three years to 13 months.

"My wife signed and complied with the terms outlined in the document. We were also informed that if we refrained from publicizing the case, they would likely reverse the verdict with ease. Consequently, we chose to maintain silence."

He further revealed, "However, after two or three weeks, when her lawyer informed us that she had completed six months of her imprisonment and could potentially apply for amnesty or early release, the authorities outright denied any such possibility.

"We were instructed to remain quiet until a few months had passed, under the false promise that she would be released."