Iran: Coronavirus

(asked on 1st September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of (a) the level of risk to British-Iranian detainees held in Tehran's Evin prison of contracting covid-19 and (b) the access to healthcare for British-Iranian detainees held in Tehran's Evin prison in the event that they contract covid-19.


Answered by
James Cleverly Portrait
James Cleverly
Home Secretary
This question was answered on 9th September 2020

The Government remains extremely concerned about all our British-Iranian dual nationals detained in Iran. We understand that President Rouhani has publically acknowledged some inmates have been diagnosed with COVID-19. We routinely discuss with Iran our concerns relating to the risks posed by COVID-19 in Iran and have provided funding to the UN to help combat the rapid spread of the disease. We also call for the urgent release of all dual national detainees on humanitarian grounds. The welfare of all British nationals imprisoned in Iran remains our top priority. We continue to raise their cases at the most senior levels, and discuss them at every opportunity with our Iranian counterparts.

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