Key facts
- British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman have lost an appeal against their 10-year prison sentences for espionage charges in Iran.
- The Foremans were arrested in January 2025 while traveling through Iran on a motorcycle.
- The couple deny the espionage charges.
- Lindsay and Craig Foreman are currently on hunger strike in Tehran's Evin prison.
- Their family claims they were not permitted to attend their appeal hearing.
- The case has now been passed to the Supreme Court.
A British couple, Lindsay and Craig Foreman, have lost their appeal against a 10-year prison sentence handed down in Iran for alleged espionage. The couple, who deny the charges, were arrested in January 2025 while on a round-the-world motorcycle trip. Their family has stated that the Foremans were not permitted to attend their own appeal hearing, which they described as a "serious human rights violation."
Lindsay Foreman's son, Joe Bennett, expressed deep concern for his parents, who are currently on hunger strike in Tehran's Evin prison. Craig Foreman has reportedly been refusing food for 25 days, while Lindsay has been on hunger strike for 16 days. Their legal team in the UK has stated that the couple are innocent tourists who are arbitrarily detained and have had their fundamental rights violated.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it was "disappointed by the appeal decision" and would continue working for their safe return to the UK. The FCDO has warned British citizens against traveling to Iran due to the risk of arrest and detention. Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was previously held in Iran, suggested the appeal failure signals the Iranian authorities' intent to the British government.