Latest news with #LindsayForeman
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Family of British couple held in Iran urge UK to raise case in talks with Tehran
The son of a British woman who has been held in Iran since January on espionage charges along with her husband has called on the UK government to raise their case during talks with Iran reportedly taking place in Istanbul later this week. Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52, were arrested on 3 January in Kervan, southern Iran, while travelling through the country from Armenia to Pakistan on a motorcycle journey to Australia. The family, who have not had direct contact with the couple since their incarceration, have said promises from the Foreign Office in the past fortnight to arrange conversations with the couple had not materialised. Six weeks ago, the Foreign Office said it did not know the couple's whereabouts, despite initially having said they were being transferred to Evin prison in Tehran. Lindsay's eldest son, Joe Bennett, said the family were past breaking point. 'The silence is intolerable, inhumane and a stain on the duty of care that the British government owes its citizens.' 'While other countries are ensuring their citizens' cases are raised at the highest levels in negotiations with Iran, we are left shouting into the void, writing letters, running social media campaigns, tagging David Lammy and Keir Starmer and hearing nothing. We are losing faith,' said Bennett, 31. After Israel's bombing of Tehran's Evin prison on 23 June that left more than 70 dead, the family said they 'endured unimaginable fear', uncertain of the couple's wellbeing. Yesterday, the family said they learned the couple was moved from Kervan to a location in Tehran, but said the British government had not confirmed their safety or wellbeing. The Foreign Office has been approached for comment. Renewed calls for their release come after nearly two weeks of war between Israel and Iran in June, during which the US bombed a number of Iran's nuclear sites and brought nuclear talks to an abrupt end. As Iran maintains a fragile ceasefire with the US and Israel, the family has called on the UK government to table the couple's case after learning negotiations between the UK and Iran were set to take place in Istanbul later this week. The UK, France and Germany – the E3, which signed the original nuclear deal with Iran in 2015 – reportedly met Iranian officials for nuclear talks in Istanbul last week, after threatening to reimpose 'snapback' UN sanctions without the risk of a security council veto, so long as they act by its expiry in October. The 2015 deal does not allow other signatories, China or Russia, to veto the sanctions snapback, and since leaving the deal in 2018, the US cannot veto the UK or EU move. The family has also called for immediate public commitment from the foreign secretary, David Lammy, and Keir Starmer, as well as to prioritise urgent and regular phone calls, consular visits and medical and legal support. It is understood the British couple have been visited by consular officials three times, the most recent in May, and have had no medical or consular visits for more than 75 days. 'We cannot and will not remain silent while our loved ones are left to disappear into the shadows of bureaucracy and apathy,' said Bennett. 'This is no longer just a diplomatic issue. It is a humanitarian emergency. The government must act now, before it's too late.' On 23 July, the all-party parliamentary group (APPG) for arbitrary detention and hostage affairs wrote to the UK foreign secretary, urging the government to prioritise their case and take further steps to secure their release. 'They are innocent British nationals falsely accused of espionage and held hostage by Iran for political leverage,' said the letter to David Lammy, signed by the parliamentary chair and MP Alicia Kearns, and others. 'Mistakes made in past cases, including the cases of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori, must be learnt from,' it added. 'Past cases demonstrate the significant strain placed upon families in working to secure the release of their loved ones.'
BBC News
4 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
23-07-2025
- 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.
