Originally posted by the Voice of America.
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Iranian British Engineer Jailed by Iran Since 2017 Becomes Human Rights
Advocate

Michael Lipin

   A retired Iranian British engineer detained in Iran since 2017 on
   spying charges that he denies has decided to speak up for the first
   time about alleged human rights abuses at the Tehran jail where he is
   imprisoned.

   Anoosheh Ashoori is the latest of several individuals whose detentions
   in Iran under harsh conditions have pushed them into becoming human
   rights advocates from their prison cells.

   Iran-born Ashoori was arrested in Tehran in August 2017 while visiting
   his mother. He traveled from London, where he, his wife, son and
   daughter have lived for decades. Iranian authorities later convicted
   him of spying for Israel and sentenced him to 10 years in the capital's
   Evin prison.

   The family of the 66-year-old dual national has rejected the spying
   charge as bogus. It also has urged the British government, which has
   diplomatic relations with Iran, to do more to secure Ashoori's release.
   The British foreign office has issued statements urging Iran to reunite
   him with his family.

   'Victims of tyranny'

   In a July 3 statement read by Ashoori during a phone call from prison
   with his wife, Sherry, who recorded it on an iPad and sent it
   exclusively to VOA Persian, Ashoori said he is willing to cooperate
   with human rights organizations to raise awareness about what he called
   "victims of tyranny" at Evin.

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