British Couple Endure Starvation and Medical Neglect in Iranian Prison, Son Tells MPs
The son of a British couple detained in Iran for more than 400 days has delivered a harrowing account to parliamentarians, revealing his parents are suffering from starvation, chronic medical neglect, and psychological torment in Tehran's notorious Evin prison. Joe Bennett, whose mother Lindsay Foreman and her partner Craig Foreman were arrested while traveling in Iran in January 2025, met with MPs on Wednesday to urge immediate government action.
Shocking Conditions and Human Rights Abuses
Mr Bennett detailed a litany of human rights abuses his parents have endured since their arrest on January 3rd, 2025. "Since their arrest more than 400 days ago, Mum and Craig have suffered a list of human rights abuses that is truly shocking," he stated. The couple has been forced to sleep on concrete floors or metal bunks without mattresses, living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions infested with vermin.
They have faced regular threats of execution, witnessed frequent knife fights among inmates, and show visible signs of malnourishment. Campaigners report the Foremans were unable to contact their family for 213 days and endured 57 days of solitary confinement and interrogation. Some contact was only established after a hunger strike in November.
Escalating Dangers and Medical Crisis
The situation has worsened amid Iran's brutal crackdown on nationwide protests, with the couple now held in overcrowded cells. As UK citizens, they face regular threats in an environment of escalating violence and anti-UK propaganda. Craig Foreman is reportedly in agony from untreated dental pain, while both suffer from chronic medical neglect with no access to proper healthcare.
Mr Bennett, from Folkestone in Kent, has collected over 60,000 signatures in an online petition demanding action. "Our family and our parents are living and reliving these horrors every single day," he said, criticizing the government's passive approach.
Call for Diplomatic Escalation
Mr Bennett urged parliamentarians from all parties to demand the UK Government formally declare the detention as arbitrary, making it a diplomatic priority. "Lessons from the past show that the failure of the UK Government to engage proactively on arbitrary detention has historically led to several years of additional horrific detention for hostages," he warned, comparing the UK's response unfavorably to those of France, Belgium, Germany, and the US.
His local MP, Tony Vaughan KC, who invited Mr Bennett to share his family's ordeal, stated: "The ordeal Joe's parents have endured for over 400 days is truly horrifying. They are living in conditions that no person should ever face." He joined the call for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office to escalate the case and develop a strategic plan for their immediate release, emphasizing that "waiting and seeing is no longer a strategy."
The Foremans were charged with espionage, which they deny, and remain imprisoned as their family and supporters continue to fight for their safe return amid growing concerns for their health and survival.
