TEHRAN 17 Jul (ANA) - Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian woman jailed in Iran for alleged spying, is now in a hospital psychiatric ward, her husband says.

 

Richard Ratcliffe said he feared the Iranian Revolutionary Guard could be isolating his wife in a Tehran hospital to press her to sign denouncements.

 

It comes after Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 40, went on hunger strike for 15 days last month in protest at her detention.

 

She was jailed in 2016 after being convicted of spying, which she denies.

 

In a press release, the Free Nazanin Campaign said it was not known what treatment she was receiving or how long she was expected to remain in hospital.

 

Her father said he visited the hospital on Tuesday but was not allowed to see his daughter and that she has not been allowed to contact her family.

 

The campaign said before being transferred, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe had told relatives: "I was healthy and happy when I came to Iran to see my parents.

 

"Three and a bit years later and I am admitted to a mental health clinic.

 

"Look at me now - I ended up in an asylum. It should be an embarrassment.

 

"Prison is getting harder and harder for me. I hate being played in the middle of a political game. I just hate it."

 

Her transfer follows her hunger strike last month in protest at her "unfair imprisonment", during which time Mr Ratcliffe also did not eat and camped on the pavement outside the Iranian Embassy in London.

 

In January, Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe, from London, went on a three-day hunger strike in protest against being denied specialist medical care.

 

Mr Ratcliffe said he had felt "euphoric" when he first heard his wife had been moved to a hospital. thinking it could be a prelude to getting treatment or even her release.

 

However, after her father was refused access to visit her in hospital or even allowed a phone call, the family has grown increasingly concerned.

 

"Are they isolating her again to squeeze her?" he said, in an interview on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, suggesting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard may be putting pressure on her to sign various denouncements.

 

He said he had asked embassy officials to visit her as soon as possible.

 

Earlier he said it was "unnerving" not knowing what was happening, adding he would follow up the case with the next prime minister.(ANA)

FA/ANA/17 July 2019-------