TEHRAN – Kazem Gharibabadi, Secretary of Iran's High Council for Human Rights, has urged the Iranian Foreign Ministry to actively pursue the release of an Iranian citizen, Richard John, who is currently imprisoned in the UK. 

Gharibabadi expressed deep concern about John's "unfavorable conditions" in British prisons, highlighting his denial of basic rights, including medical care and even a single day of leave in 20 years. 

"Mr. John is by no means in favorable conditions in prison and is deprived of medical and health services. Given Mr. John's dire situation in British prisons, the request of his mother, and the acceptance of [that request by] domestic institutions to provide medical and health services to Mr. John, there is no reason not to transfer him to Iran."

Gharibabadi criticized the British government's refusal to pardon and repatriate John, despite his renunciation of British citizenship. 

“This Iranian citizen, who has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a British court, has renounced his British citizenship in the hope that he will be freed from prison and return to his country,” he said. “However, the British [government] has still opposed his pardon and deportation.”

He called for continued diplomatic and legal efforts to secure John's freedom, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.