A British citizen held in Iran for four and half years on spying charges vehemently denied by supporters is beginning a hunger strike to protest his situation and lack of pressure to secure his release, his family announced on Saturday.
Anoosheh Ashoori, 67, who holds British and Iranian passports, is one of more than a dozen foreigners detained in Iran who activists argue are being held as hostages in a bid to extract concessions from the West.
He was arrested during a visit to Iran in August 2017 and then sentenced to prison for 10 years on charges of spying, an accusation rejected by his family.
Mr Ashoori will begin the hunger strike on Sunday in Tehran's Evin prison where he is held, his daughter Elika Ashoori announced in a video shared on social media channels.
“Needless to say we are extremely concerned for his physical health as he approaches his 68th birthday,” she said.
But she said her father would begin the hunger strike “in the hope of bringing global attention to the plight of these individuals held by Iran".
He was taking the action having failed to see “any progress” in British efforts to bring about his release and amid “no sign the welfare of hostages held by Iran is a priority of the US, European and UK governments”, she said.
Mr Ashoori is going on hunger strike after a similar move in December by Frenchman Benjamin Briere who has been jailed in Iran for more than a year and half on spying charges.
Mr Briere, 36, who was arrested in May 2020 while travelling, went on trial on Thursday severely weakened by the hunger strike, his lawyers said. A verdict in his case is expected in the coming days.
Campaigners and families of those held fear the issue of detainees is being forgotten by the West as powers seek to negotiate a revival of the 2015 deal on the Iranian nuclear programme in Vienna.
Elika Ashoori said her father's action was in “full solidarity” with a hunger strike begun in Vienna by Barry Rosen, a former US diplomat and veteran of the 444-day hostage siege of the US embassy in Tehran from 1979-1981.
Mr Rosen, 77, who is on day four of his hunger strike, has said he started the strike to demand the release of all the foreign “hostages”, saying they are “they are human beings, not bargaining chips".
He has since been joined in Vienna on the hunger strike by Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese national and US resident who was held in Iran on spying charges from 2015-2019.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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