Latest news with #CraigForeman
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
'My parents were taken hostage in Iran. I need to hear from them'
The son of a couple arrested in Iran has said it is "intolerable" that he has not been able to speak to his parents in more than 200 days. Joe Bennet said the Foreign Office told him he could call Lindsay and Craig Foreman last week, but after a "sleepless night of anticipation" it did not happen. A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said they were "deeply concerned" by the case and continued to raise it directly with Iran's government. Mr and Ms Foreman were arrested by Iranian authorities in January while on a "once in a lifetime" trip around the world. They have since been charged with espionage - something the family denies. 'Vague reassurances' Mr Bennet says the family has not spoken to his 52-year-old parents, who are from East Sussex, since they were arrested. "We don't know their condition, their state of mind, or even with certainty that they are alive."All we have had are vague reassurances through officials," he added. Mr Bennet described the situation as unbearable and called directly on Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to intercede on their behalf."It is a weight no family should have to bear," he said. Scottish National Party MP Brendan O'Hara, vice-chair of the all-parliamentary group for arbitrary detention and hostage affairs (APPG), previously told the BBC the couple were "innocent victims of a geopolitical power struggle" between western states and Iran, likening them to "bargaining chips".He pointed to the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian national who was held hostage by the Iranian government for six years to pressure the UK to pay a long-standing, multi-million-pound debt.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
British couple detained in Iran unhurt by Israeli prison bombing
The UK government has been urged to prioritise securing the release of a British couple detained in and Lindsay Foreman, both 52 and from East Sussex, have been charged with espionage, which they deny, after being arrested in Iran while on a round-the-world trip in Wednesday a cross-parliamentary group confirmed the couple had not been harmed in Israeli strikes last month and renewed calls for the UK government to resolve the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it is "deeply concerned" at the situation and is providing Mr and Mrs Foreman with consular assistance. In a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, the all-parliamentary group for arbitrary detention and hostage affairs (APPG) said just three "welfare visits" had been able to take place since the couple were detained by Iranian authorities - the last being in month, Israel bombed various targets across Tehran, including Evin Prison, saying it was hitting "regime targets and agencies of government repression".The APPG said Mr and Mrs Foreman's family were relieved to now learn the couple were still being kept in prison in Kerman "and not ultimately transferred to Evin Prison" before the bombings. The group said it believed Iran was holding Mr and Mrs Foreman to use as political leverage."They are innocent British nationals falsely accused of espionage and held hostage," it said."Mistakes made in past cases, including the cases of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, must be learnt from."More must be done to work with other countries whose foreign nationals remain in arbitrary detention in Iran, to ensure all possible solutions are being considered."The APPG said the government must also focus on supporting Mr and Mrs Foreman's family."We are concerned by reports that there has been inadequate communication with the family in the past six months of their detention, especially while they were possibly implicated in the bombing of Evin Prison," the group FCDO said it is in contact with the relevant Iranian authorities and that the welfare of British nationals detained in Iran "remains a priority"."We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran," a spokesperson said."We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members."The FCDO advises against travel to Iran for British and British-Iranian nationals.
BBC News
14-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Couple being held in Iran 'outrageous', MP says
The government has been urged to "act decisively" to secure the freedom of a British couple detained in Iran. Craig and Lindsay Foreman, both 52, were on a "once-in-a-lifetime" trip around the world when they were arrested by Iranian authorities in January and later charged with espionage - something the family a meeting of the all-parliamentary group for arbitrary detention and hostage affairs (APPG), the couple's son Joe Bennett told the BBC he wanted the UK government to be "really pressing" Iran for their immediate Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) says it continues to raise the case directly with the Iranian authorities. Mr Bennett said the meeting had reassured the family they had support, but he would still continue to pressure government to "make sure that what can be done is being done immediately".Iran's government has been approached for comment. 'Bargaining chips' Brendan O'Hara, APPG vice chair, told the BBC it was "absolutely outrageous" that Mr and Ms Foreman, who were just on holiday and have "no political connection", had been "taken hostage". The Scottish National Party MP called the couple from East Sussex "innocent victims of a geopolitical power struggle", likening them to "bargaining chips" between states. "The UK government has to act and it has to act decisively", O'Hara said, urging officials to do "everything they possibly can" to secure their freedom. He pointed to the case of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian national who was held hostage by the Iranian government for six years to pressure the UK to pay a long-standing, multi-million-pound debt. Haydee Dijkstal, a barrister representing the family, told the BBC there were concerns the human rights of the couple were not being fully protected in Iran. She said they had been held in solitary confinement for more than 30 days and did not know what they were being charged with for several months. Mr Bennett said he had not spoken to his parents for more than six months. The FCDO advises against all travel to Iran. "British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention," it says in its Iran travel advice. "Having a British passport or connections to the UK can be reason enough for the Iranian authorities to detain you."
The Independent
09-07-2025
- The Independent
Family feared for British couple detained in Iran after Evin prison bombing
British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman were detained and charged with espionage in Iran earlier this year while on a round-the-world motorcycle trip. The couple were initially held in a 3x3 metre cell in Kerman, southeastern Iran, for at least five months. Their family endured a "month of torment" in June when the couple went missing, fearing they had been transferred to Tehran 's Evin prison, which was bombed by Israel on 23 June. Despite the family's fears, the Iranian foreign ministry said on 8 July that the Foremans were still in Kerman, though the British Foreign Office has not yet had direct contact with them. The family asserts the Foremans are "normal" individuals being held as political prisoners and are urging for their release, while the FCDO continues to provide consular assistance.
BBC News
09-07-2025
- BBC News
Son of couple held in Iran: 'They aren't spies, they're Mum and Dad'
The son of a British couple detained in Iran has said he broke down in tears when he learned of their arrest and has not heard from them in six and Lindsay Foreman were on a "once-in-a-lifetime" motorbike trip around the world when they were arrested in January and later charged with espionage, which the family son Joe Bennett said the Foreign Office must act more urgently to bring them home, adding that he was not "clear" on their strategy to do Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said they were continuing to assist the family and raise the case directly with Iranian authorities. Mr and Mrs Foreman, both 52 from East Sussex, were motorbiking from Spain to Australia when they crossed into Iran on 31 Bennett said he last spoke with his parents on 3 January prior to their arrest, before learning they were being held in late January and charged with spying in February."I didn't know what to do or where to turn," he Bennett said one "generic letter" written by his mother had been shared with friends and family since then, and that updates on their wellbeing had come from three welfare checks by UK embassy officials - the last being in May."That's tough when you're used to hearing someone's voice every day," Mr Bennett said. "She's sleeping on a wafer-thin mattress," he said of his mother, "that causes a lot of upset"."You always go back to how they must be feeling, that's the one thing that gets the family the most."Mr Bennett said his parents were very active people who loved doing Park Run, and were trying to "keep as fit as possible" in their cell."In true fashion they're now running figure of eights in their cell," he said, "which just shows their mental fortitude".He added that the conflict between Iran and Israel which erupted in June was a "terrifying" period, "not knowing if they were okay or safe".The couple were due to be transferred to Tehran's notorious Evin Prison on 8 June, he continued, which was bombed by Israel on 23 June - while the war also saw the UK pull its embassy staff out of the Bennett recalls thinking: "They are now left alone, we haven't got people who can push for their safety and wellbeing." The FCDO currently advises against all travel to Iran, saying that British and British-Iranian dual nationals are at "significant risk" of arrest, questioning or also now states that UK government support is "extremely limited in Iran"."No face-to-face consular assistance will be possible in an emergency and the UK government will not be able to help you if you get into difficulty in Iran," the guidance Bennett said the family did have reservations about their decision to travel to the country and asked, "why would you go there?"But he stressed that the couple did so "by the proper means" - with the right visas, accompanied by licensed tour guides, and staying in hotels and along main roads."They followed every guideline in the book they could… that clearly wasn't enough."Mr Bennett said he believed they were arrested because "they have UK passports and are being used as leverage by the Iranian regime"."I want to be crystal clear, my parents aren't spies, they're not political players, they aren't criminals. They're Mum and Dad."A spokesman for Iran's judiciary said in February that the couple had entered Iran "under the guise of tourists" and "gathered information" in several parts of the said the couple had been under surveillance by intelligence agencies and were arrested as part of a "coordinated intelligence operation".In recent years, Iran has arrested dozens of Iranians with dual nationality or foreign permanent residency, mostly on spying and national security charges. At least 15 have had links to the rights groups say they are often held as leverage, released only when Iran receives something in Bennett said the foreign office had been "supportive in terms of words and comfort, but we're past that now," describing the relationship as "functional".He added that their "quiet diplomacy" approach had been "going on for too long" and that the family was not "clear what the strategy is"."We know where we stand and what we want, it's over to you to make this happen."An FCDO spokesperson said: "We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities, we're providing them with consular assistance and we remain in close contact with the family."
