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1- It's been a year since @HostageAlliance (the Families Alliance Against State Hostage-Taking) was launched at #UNGA 
w @FreeNazanin @FreeNizarZakka @jrezaian & @FreeTheNamazis. Our goal was/is to fight against the arbitrary detention of innocent ppl held as political collateral.
w @FreeNazanin @FreeNizarZakka @jrezaian & @FreeTheNamazis. Our goal was/is to fight against the arbitrary detention of innocent ppl held as political collateral.
2- A lot has happened during the past year, some positive & some heart shattering.
In Dec 2019, @Princeton student @XiyueWang9 returned home in a prisoner swap between Iran & the US; he had spent the previous 40 months in Evin prison with @FreeNizarZakka & my father (+ others).
In Dec 2019, @Princeton student @XiyueWang9 returned home in a prisoner swap between Iran & the US; he had spent the previous 40 months in Evin prison with @FreeNizarZakka & my father (+ others).
3- Three months after that, in March 2020, the family of the longest held hostage in US history, Bob Levinson ( @HelpBobLevinson), announced the sad news that their father was no longer alive. Bob Levinson had gone missing since 2007, last seen in Kish. https://edition.cnn.com/2020/03/25/politics/robert-levinson-dead/index.html
4- In March, the French researcher Roland Marchal ( @FaribaRoland) was released in a prisoner swap between France and Iran. Unfortunately his fellow researcher Dr Fariba Adelkhah of @sciencespo was not released and is still imprisoned (since June 2019). https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20200321-iran-france-agree-release-french-academic-roland-marchal-prisoner-swap-iranian-engineer-ruhollahnejad-us-fariba-adelkhah
5- In April, British-Iranian Kamal Foroughi completed his 10-year sentence in Evin prison and returned home.
At 80 years of age, he has not been able to seek restitution, compensation, or rehabilitation for what he was put to endure.
@REDRESSTrust https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/kamal-foroughi-returns-uk-years-iran-spy-charge-200401192015606.html
At 80 years of age, he has not been able to seek restitution, compensation, or rehabilitation for what he was put to endure.
@REDRESSTrust https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/kamal-foroughi-returns-uk-years-iran-spy-charge-200401192015606.html
6-In May, the US Senate Foreign Relations Commt approved Robert Levinson Hostage Recovery & Hostage-Taking Accountability Act.
This will address hostage-taking & equip the U.S. gov't with new tools to perform rescues & punish captors.
@SenatorMenendez https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/ranking/release/senate-foreign-relations-committee-approves-robert-levinson-hostage-recovery-and-hostage-taking-accountability-act
This will address hostage-taking & equip the U.S. gov't with new tools to perform rescues & punish captors.
@SenatorMenendez https://www.foreign.senate.gov/press/ranking/release/senate-foreign-relations-committee-approves-robert-levinson-hostage-recovery-and-hostage-taking-accountability-act
7- In June, with Iran as one of the worst-hit COVID-19 countries, the American @FreeMikeWhite was released & flew home in a prisoner swap after 2 yrs of detention.
This came after President Trump promised to release all American held hostages overseas. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52926142
This came after President Trump promised to release all American held hostages overseas. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52926142
8- In July, Foreign Sec @DominicRaab introduced new Magnitsky-style measures to hold human rights abusers (incl. hostage-takers) to account.
This came after @Billbrowder's tireless work for over a decade that sought justice for the murder of his friend, Sergei Magnitsky.
This came after @Billbrowder's tireless work for over a decade that sought justice for the murder of his friend, Sergei Magnitsky.
9- In Aug, @FreeKylieMG, imprisoned since Sept 2018, was transferred from IRGC's 2-A units to the over-populated Qarchak prison w/o any regard to the dangers this could pose to her during COVID19. @RezaKhandan4 & myself made sure to keep her in headlines. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/28/world/europe/british-australian-academic-jail-iran-qarchak.html
10-In late August, @BBCPanorama aired an important documentary titled 'Hostage in Iran', one that chronicled the experiences of 5 current & former hostages:
Nazanin (under house arrest in Tehran),
Anoosheh (in Evin), and
former hostages @FreeNizarZakka, @jrezaian, and myself.
Nazanin (under house arrest in Tehran),
Anoosheh (in Evin), and
former hostages @FreeNizarZakka, @jrezaian, and myself.
11- On 4 Sept Defence Minister @BWallaceMP acknowledged a link between the £400m UK-Iran debt & the increased number of detained British-Iranians.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry @JZarif refuted the link,but by 8 Sept, @FreeNazanin faced a new trial w potentially more prison time.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry @JZarif refuted the link,but by 8 Sept, @FreeNazanin faced a new trial w potentially more prison time.
12- Many still remain behind bars (or under house arrest) on groundless accusations,even during a global pandemic.
The families of British hostages & those of us released TO THIS DAY lack the legislative tools to fight erosion of human rights & cruelty of systemic hostage-taking
The families of British hostages & those of us released TO THIS DAY lack the legislative tools to fight erosion of human rights & cruelty of systemic hostage-taking
13- To better understand the detention of hostages, I shared my experience w @XAMGreenwood + @tortoise of the high-security 2-A IRGC solitary cells, the Clerical 325 & 500 wards, & the women's ward (Band-e Nesvan) where most female hostages are held. https://members.tortoisemedia.com/2020/09/07/inside-evin-audio-investigation-podcast/content.html
14- Last week I sent an open letter in Farsi to @khamenei_ir (تمنامه خطاب به رهبر ایران/ موضوع: نازنین و گیسو) pleading him to release @FreeNazanin & reunite w Gabriella.
The letter has been circulated widely amongst the Persian media, e.g. @RadioZamaneh https://www.tribunezamaneh.com/archives/241079
The letter has been circulated widely amongst the Persian media, e.g. @RadioZamaneh https://www.tribunezamaneh.com/archives/241079
15- This week I wrote an open letter in English to the Supreme Leader of Iran @khamenei_ir regarding the illegitimate treatment of innocent detainees & their families, highlighting the fate of 6-yr-old Gabriella Gisou Ratcliffe in particular. https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/ana-diamond-letter-to-iran-about-nazanin-1-6849529
16- As a young victim & a survivor of the Revolutionary Guard's illegal practises of arbitrary detention & torture, it goes w/o saying that I recognise the heavy fight is still ahead of us: get remaining British hostages out & to pave a way for enforceable legal action in the UK.
17- This has been a long thread 
but it is important to reflect on the small victories & lessons along the way, and what remains to be done (= a lot).
The IRGC continues to threaten & harass us & our families-during & after our imprisonment. We should NOT allow this to go on. /
but it is important to reflect on the small victories & lessons along the way, and what remains to be done (= a lot).The IRGC continues to threaten & harass us & our families-during & after our imprisonment. We should NOT allow this to go on. /
