Key facts
- British national Craig Foreman has received an additional two-year prison sentence in Iran.
- Foreman is already serving a 10-year sentence for espionage, a charge he denies.
- The additional sentence was reportedly imposed because Foreman spoke to the press.
- Craig and Lindsay Foreman were arrested in January 2025 and sentenced in February.
- Both Foremans have been on a hunger strike since May.
A British man, Craig Foreman, who is currently imprisoned in Iran with his wife Lindsay, has been handed an additional two-year prison sentence. The couple was arrested in January 2025 while traveling through Iran on a motorcycle and were subsequently sentenced to 10 years each for espionage, charges they deny. According to the family, Craig Foreman was informed of the extended sentence after being brought before a judge without legal representation or a translator. The family states the additional two years were imposed because Craig Foreman had spoken to the press. This development has intensified concerns for the couple's well-being, as they have been on a hunger strike since May, protesting their detention and treatment.
The family's legal team has indicated that this new sentence will be added to a complaint filed with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, arguing that the Foremans' detention is arbitrary and violates international law. They have appealed to Iranian authorities for mercy and urged the UK government and the newly appointed envoy for detained Britons to intervene in the case. UN special rapporteurs Dr Alice Edwards and Mai Sato stated that the Foremans appear to have been wrongfully detained and prosecuted on questionable grounds after proceedings that failed to meet fair trial guarantees. The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Iran.