Family Reveals British Couple in Iran Face Fresh Ordeal as Husband's Jail Sentence Is Extended

A British couple jailed in Iran on spying charges have been hit with an extra two years in prison after husband Craig Foreman spoke to the media from behind bars, their family has revealed.

Craig and his wife Lindsay, who are both being held in Tehran's Evin prison, learned of the new sentence this week, which relatives in the UK say was imposed without legal representation or a chance to respond.

In a statement, Lindsay's son and family spokesperson Joe Bennett said they had received 'extremely concerning reports' that Craig's jail term had been extended solely because he spoke to the media from prison.

'We understand he was told he was being taken to see his lawyer but was instead brought before a judge and informed of the additional sentence,' Bennett said, adding that his stepfather was given 'no lawyer, no translator and no opportunity to defend himself.'

Bennett described the move as 'a flagrant abuse of the most basic rights any person is owed.'

Arrest On Overland Trip And Espionage Conviction

The Foremans, from East Sussex, were arrested in January 2025 while riding their motorbikes through Iran as part of an overland journey from Europe to Asia.

In February this year, they were convicted of espionage and handed 10-year sentences, despite repeatedly insisting they are innocent tourists. They have now spent more than 18 months in detention, much of it in Evin, the high-security jail long associated with political prisoners.

The couple began a second hunger strike in May, which relatives say was triggered when prison authorities again cut off their phone calls home.

Craig stopped eating on 9 May, with Lindsay joining him on 18 May. Human rights group HRANA has reported that Craig has lost about 16kg, while Lindsay is suffering from dizziness and body tremors.

UK Government Under Pressure Over Response

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said it is 'urgently following up with the Iranian authorities about the reported increased sentence' and has told Tehran that, if confirmed, the extension is 'unacceptable'.

Officials say the couple's health and welfare remain a 'priority', though ministers have declined to discuss the details of ongoing negotiations.

The family have been pushing the UK government to go further, including urging ministers to consider a prisoner swap involving convicted Iranian stalker Richard Jan.

Deputy prime minister David Lammy has said such 'arrangements can be made', but declined to discuss specifics of the Foremans' case.

The government this week also appointed former Middle East minister Alistair Burt as the UK's first envoy for Britons detained abroad in complex cases; the family say they welcome the move and hope to meet him soon.

Lawyers Take Battle To UN Detention Watchdog

The couple's legal team has taken their case to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, arguing the Foremans are being held in clear breach of international law.

Barrister Haydee Dijkstal said their situation meets three of the Working Group's legal criteria for arbitrary detention, citing a lack of proper legal basis, violations of fair-trial rights and breaches of international obligations.

In June, UN special rapporteurs Dr Alice Jill Edwards and Mai Sato publicly called for the couple's release, saying they appeared to have been 'wrongfully detained, prosecuted on highly questionable grounds, and sentenced after proceedings that failed to meet basic fair trial guarantees'.

Son Leads Relentless Campaign For Release

Bennett, based in Folkestone, described a routine of calls to ministers, lawyers and journalists. 'Some days you wake up feeling hopeful,' he said.

'Other days you receive news like Craig's received a two-year sentence, and it feels like the floor disappears beneath you again.'

The UK has advised against all travel to Iran since 2022, warning that British passport-holders can be detained because of their nationality or UK links.

The family, who watched earlier detainees like Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori eventually walk free, are asking why the same political will cannot be found for Craig and Lindsay.