Reuters
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British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Thursday condemned the 10-year prison sentence given to a British couple in Iran on spying charges as “totally unfair” and said the government would continue to press for their release.
Craig Foreman and Lindsay Foreman had been charged with espionage after accusing Iran of gathering intelligence in multiple parts of the country.
Mr Cooper said in a statement: “We will continue to relentlessly pursue this case with the Iranian government until Mr Craig and Lindsay Foreman can be safely returned to the UK and reunited with their families.”
The foremen and others were arrested on January 3 last year while traveling around the world on motorcycles and in Iran. Iranian state media announced his arrest on espionage charges the following month, and he has now been detained for more than 13 months.
Lindsay’s son, Joe Bennett, said in a separate statement that the couple attended the three-hour trial on Oct. 27, but the defense was not allowed to speak.
“No evidence has been found to support the espionage charges,” he said, adding that the family was deeply concerned about the couple’s welfare and the lack of transparency in the judicial process.
Mr Bennett called on the UK government to “act decisively and use all available tools” to secure his release.
The Iranian embassy in London did not respond to a request for comment on the ruling.
According to a statement from their families, the couple has been detained for a long time without being able to communicate. They faced limited or delayed access to legal representation, solitary confinement, and delays in receiving funds for essential needs. They also reported that consular visits were suspended or canceled.
Cooper’s office did not comment on the disruption but said it would continue to provide consular assistance.
Lindsay Foreman is being held in the women’s wing of Tehran’s Evin prison, while her husband Craig is being held in the prison’s political wing.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have detained foreigners and dual nationals in recent years, mainly on espionage and national security charges.
According to human rights groups, authorities use such arrests as leverage in conflicts with other countries, which they describe as part of a broader pattern of politically motivated detentions. The Iranian government rejects these charges and says the incident involves legitimate security concerns.
