Thomson Reuters Foundation Calls for Correction of Boris Johnson's Remarks on Nazanin Zaghari

The Thomson Reuters Foundation accused UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson of making inaccurate statements regarding the reason for Nazanin Zaghari's trip to Iran, which may have extended her prison sentence. According to the Associated Press, Monique Villa, CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation, stated on Monday, November 6, that 'Zaghari-Ratcliffe is not a journalist and has never received journalism training at this foundation,' but was working as a project manager. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British citizen, was sentenced to five years in prison for allegedly conspiring to 'softly overthrow' the Islamic Republic. The UK Foreign Secretary, who attended a parliamentary committee meeting last week, said that to his knowledge, Ms. Zaghari was arrested solely for teaching journalism. Following these remarks, the Free Nazanin Zaghari campaign reported that she was taken back to court without prior notice, where she was told that the Foreign Secretary's words serve as evidence that she was 'propagating against the regime.' Meanwhile, the Human Rights Council of the Iranian Judiciary stated that Boris Johnson's remarks prove that Nazanin Zaghari 'came to Iran for purposes other than a holiday.' This situation has led the CEO of the Thomson Reuters Foundation to call on Boris Johnson to correct his statements. Monique Villa described these remarks as a 'damaging mistake' that 'could worsen her conviction.' The British Foreign Office has yet to correct these statements but emphasized that Mr. Johnson's words cannot be used as a basis for new charges against Nazanin Zaghari. The Foreign Office's statement noted that London is working for Ms. Zaghari's release, and Mr. Johnson will contact his Iranian counterpart to ensure that his remarks are not misinterpreted.