After Six Years Of House Arrest In London, Tajik Arrives In Tehran

Tehran, Dec 19, IRNA – Former Ambassador of Iran to Jordan, Nosratollah Tajik, after six years of house arrest in London arrived in Tehran airport in the early hours of Wednesday. He left London on Tuesday morning to Sultanate of Oman and then from Muscat to Tehran. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mihman-parast in his weekly press conference on Tuesday appreciated cooperation and good help of Omani government in that concern. Tajik was arrested by British government on October 25, 2006, on charges of trying to buy 10 night vision binoculars for Iran, which were in list of equipment under sanction. British court declared that time the arrest of Tajik has been upon request of the US government and that the Iranian citizen should be repatriated to Washington upon reparation agreement between Britain and the USA. Two weeks after his arrest, British court agreed with his temporary release accompanied with limitation. On April 18, 2007, British court issued definite decree to repatriate Nosratollah Tajik to the USA, but because of his physical situation and heart disease, implementation of decree was postponed until his recovery. By issuing the verdict, Iran's Foreign Ministry increased its efforts to void the verdict and release Tajik. In this direction, three high ranking delegations from Foreign Ministry travelled to London, the most important one of which was on March 2011 by Deputy Foreign Minister in Consulate, parliamentary affairs Hassan Qashqavi. Finally, on November 27, 2012, London supreme court in a decree opposed by reparation of Tajik to the USA and called for removing accusations from him. Following the verdict and lack of appeal by the Britain Home Office, finally on last Thursday December 13, 2012 final decree to release Tajik and removing accusation from him was issued by London Westminster court. After receiving his freedom, Tajik told IRNA that for restoration of his reputation and also protest against violating his right during last six years, he will file a suit against Britain Interior Minister. He added that I was innocent, but the British Interior Minister kept me six years at house arrest with hard limitations and since three and half years ago they made my dossier inactive , so because of lack of decision making I stay at house arrest situation for a longer period of time. Iran's former ambassador to Jordan said that I ask human rights organizations and the European court of human rights not to be silent against such unlawful acts./end