The family of a British couple sentenced to 10 years in prison in Iran on espionage charges has expressed profound terror after losing all communication with them. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both aged 53, were arrested in January 2025 while travelling through Iran during an around-the-world motorcycle journey.
The couple, who reside in East Sussex, are currently detained in Tehran's notorious Evin prison. They were convicted on espionage charges, which they vehemently deny. Their family now fears that the couple's telephone access, their only link to the outside world, has been severed as punishment for speaking publicly about their detention.
Their son, Joe Bennett, stated: "We simply do not know if my mum and Craig are safe. Craig told us that they might have to stop eating if their calls were taken away. I have not spoken to my mum for over a week now. Every day of silence makes it worse. We don't know what is happening to them and we are terrified for them."
Telephone access ceased earlier this month following a media interview in which the couple reportedly felt "abandoned" and believed their chances of release were diminishing, according to their campaign group.
In February, the Foreign Office temporarily withdrew staff from Iran amid threats of US strikes against the country. It continues to advise against all travel to Iran, warning that British and British-Iranian nationals face a "significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention," adding that "having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you."
A government spokesman previously condemned the couple's jail sentences as "completely appalling and totally unjustifiable," affirming their welfare as a "priority."
In her first interview since US and Israeli strikes against Iran on 28 February, Ms Foreman told ITV News she could hear the "whistling noise of missiles and the hum of the drones" nearby, with "people hyperventilating, screaming." She added: "The first day you could feel it, the impact of the bombs, the rockets, the missiles."
Describing prison conditions, Ms Foreman said: "When the buildings shake, there is nowhere to go. These buildings are not designed for safety. There's no fire escape, there's no access to the outside for us. If the building collapses, that will be the end."
