UN human rights experts have called for the release of a British couple, Lindsay and Craig Foreman, who have been sentenced to 10 years in an Iranian jail over spying claims. The couple, from East Sussex, deny any wrongdoing and were detained in January 2025 while passing through Iran on a round-the-world motorcycle trip.
The UN special rapporteurs, Dr Alice Edwards and Mai Sato, said that proceedings against the Foremans had been marked by grave irregularities, including their detention and prosecution on questionable grounds. The couple have been refused food in prison, and their family has expressed concerns over their wellbeing.
The Foremans' case has now been passed to the Supreme Court, although their family do not understand the legal process or the timeline of what might happen next. Their last consular visit was back in December, and the UK Foreign Office has stated that it will continue working to ensure their safe return to the UK.
UN experts have urged the Iranian authorities to quash the Foremans' convictions and have appealed to the UK government to use diplomatic means to secure their release. Lindsay's son, Joe Bennett, has campaigned tirelessly for the couple's freedom, highlighting the need to include the fate of foreign detainees in any peace framework with Iran.