Club members celebrated International Women’s Day by going to the cathedral to listen to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe in conversation with the Bishop of Sherborne.
Nazanin took us through the story of her arrest and imprisonment and talked about the long term consequences of the experience. Her captivity began with a long period of solitary confinement with only a holy book for company, which gave rise to feelings of abandonment and hopelessness. This together with the moment her daughter (who had been allowed to visit her in prison) returned to England to live with her father were some of the lowest points of her time spent in captivity. Nazanin described the process that led to the decision that Gabriella should return to England as one of the most painful of her life.
Nazanin also highlighted the difference between being a political prisoner and a political hostage. In theory political prisoners may be able to influence their outcome by, for example, good behaviour, whereas political hostages have no control at all over their fate.
Equally moving was her account of how the institutionalised experience of prison is still impacting her day to day life and will probably continue to do so for many years, if not for ever.
At the end of the conversation Nazanin was joined by her husband Richard who contributed his perspective. Together they spoke of how they were able to hold on to hope even during the darkest times. She also suggested that one of the most powerful things we can do to give hope to political prisoners and hostages is to name them. She illustrated this by telling us about a friend who had been released from prison and is now back in prison again.
Overall this was a truly inspiring evening and a wonderful way of celebrating International Women’s Day.
