Secretary of High Council for Human Rights Kazem Gharibabadi on Sunday lashed out at UK government's opposition to return of 'Richard John,' a Christian Iranian citizen who is imprisoned in the UK, and said this Iranian citizen in British prison does not enjoy favorable conditions and is also deprived of receiving medical and health services.
In order to be released from prison and return to Iran, the Christian Iranian citizen even revoked his British citizenship years ago, but the British Ministry of Justice opposed this request on the pretext that his release could be dangerous for the lives of British citizens, he added.
Iran's Foreign Ministry has so far made necessary follow-ups to improve the conditions of Richard John and return him to Iran, but the British side has not taken any action in this regard.
Referring to the unfavorable situation of the Christian Iranian citizen in the British prison, the inhumane treatment of him in prison, as well as the recent goodwill of Iran in the release of two convicted Iranians with dual citizenship, Gharibabadi asked the British government to adhere to its human rights obligations and to release this Iranian citizen and return him to Iran as soon as possible.
Richard John, a Christian Iranian citizen imprisoned in the British prison, according to some allegations against him, has been in jail for about 20 years, but he has not gone on leave even for a single day, and even to treat his illness, it has been opposed to sending him to a protected specialized hospital.
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