Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the British-Iranian dual national whose six-year ordeal at Evin prison served as a stark reminder of Iran's harsh treatment of its dissidents, has spoken out against the "unimaginably cruel and alarming" rearrest of environmentalist couple Houman Jokar and Sepideh Kashani. Zaghari-Ratcliffe's personal connection to Kashani is particularly poignant, having met her during their shared incarceration – a testament to the human cost of Iran's relentless pursuit of those deemed enemies of the state.
The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence seized Jokar and Kashani at their home on 1 July 2026, leaving their whereabouts unknown. The couple, renowned for their tireless efforts to save the Asiatic cheetah through their work with the now-defunct Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation, have been subjected to a cruel cycle of detention and imprisonment. In 2018, they were among a group of environmentalists arrested on spurious charges, which were widely condemned by the international scientific community as baseless.
The rearrests raise further alarm about Iran's deteriorating human rights record. With over 6,000 individuals detained since the beginning of the US-Israeli conflict, Amnesty International has sounded the warning bells about an escalating crackdown on civil society and dissidents within Iran. Siamak Namazi, an Iranian-American who was previously imprisoned with Jokar, has publicly questioned the arrests, linking them to a broader pattern of repression that undermines any notion of "national reconciliation" in Iran.
Kashani's sister, Sima, was also arrested on 1 July, and all their electronic devices were confiscated. The news of their rearrest was first reported by their defence attorney, Hojjat Kermani, who has since been confirmed by the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence. Zaghari-Ratcliffe recounted Kashani's remarkable resilience during her previous imprisonment, particularly her ability to cope after two years in solitary confinement – a period she described as "a different level of torture".
The UK government is likely to be following this situation closely, with implications for British-Iranian relations and the safety of its citizens. The Iranian Ministry's actions are not only a grave concern for the global community but also underscore the need for sustained international pressure on Iran to respect human rights and the rule of law.