WEST Dunbartonshire's MP has leant his support to a man fighting to free his wife from prison in Iran - while reiterating efforts to free a Dumbarton man also being held overseas.

Martin Docherty-Hughes visited Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe has spent three years in prison in Iran, after being convicted of espionage and sentenced to five years custody.

Mr Ratcliffe has been a major public figure in recent years, as he has fought to bring Nazanin home.

Since June 15, Mr Ratcliffe has been on hunger strike outside the Iranian embassy in London.

Nazanin was at the centre of a political firestorm in 2017, when then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson claimed she was training people in journalism, something her employer, the Thomas Reuters Foundation, immediately refuted.

The visit comes as Jagtar Singh Johal, from Dumbarton, has been held for 600 days in India.

Mr Johal, known as Jaggi, has been held in connection with the murder of right-wing Hindu activists, while he was in India for his wedding.

Since his arrest, there has been no conviction against Jaggi, and there have also been claims he has been tortured while in prison.

His brother Gurpreet has told the National they feel the campaign is "back to square one".

Mark Field, a minister in the Foreign Office, has been suspended from his duties after attacking a Green Peace activist at a social event, and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is vying for the leadership of the Conservative Party, which carries with it the post of Prime Minister.

Mr Docherty-Hughes said: "As we mark 600 days since the arrest in India of Dumbarton man Jagtar Singh Johal, I was humbled to meet with Richard Ratcliffe who continues to show incredible courage in the face of such heartache.

“Few can fail to have been moved by the plight of Richard’s wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, and the strength shown by the family in their campaign to bring Nazanin home is truly inspiring.

“My thanks go to Richard for his solidarity in showing support for the #FreeJaggiNow campaign which continues to push for justice on behalf of Jagtar and his family in Dumbarton.

“It’s vital that the next British Prime Minister – whether that be Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt – takes action to support these families and demonstrate that they’re serious about protecting the rights of UK citizens detained abroad.”