British Couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman Sentenced to Ten Years for Espionage in Iran
Updated (3 articles)
Sentencing Delivered by Tehran Revolutionary Court The Tehran Revolutionary Court sentenced Lindsay and Craig Foreman to ten years in prison on espionage charges, a verdict announced by their family on 19 February 2026 [1]. The judgment was issued by a judge at Branch 15 after a three‑hour hearing in October where the couple was denied the opportunity to present a defence [1]. No evidence was disclosed publicly, and the sentence aligns with Iran’s pattern of imposing long terms on dual‑national detainees [1].
Arrest and Detention Timeline Since January 2025 Iranian authorities arrested the Foremans in January 2025 while they were on a round‑the‑world motorcycle trip [1]. They have been confined in separate wings of Tehran’s Evin prison, a facility notorious for housing political prisoners [1]. Their son, Joe Bennett, reported that they endured 13 months in “dire” conditions marked by dirt, vermin, violence, and significant weight loss [1].
British Government and Family Reaction UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the sentence as “completely appalling and totally unjustifiable” and called for decisive action to secure their release [1]. Bennett urged the British government to intervene, noting the absence of any presented evidence [1]. The UK Foreign Office’s travel advisory warns that dual‑national citizens are frequently detained on spying accusations, a context highlighted by the ongoing nuclear negotiations with the United States [1].
Legal Irregularities and Prison Conditions Reported Iranian lawyers for the Foremans argued there was no legal basis for the case and that bail applications were ignored [1]. The October hearing lasted three hours without allowing the couple to defend themselves, raising concerns about due‑process violations [1]. Reports of Evin prison’s harsh environment underscore broader human‑rights criticisms of Iran’s detention practices [1].
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Timeline
Jan 2025 – Lindsay and Craig Foreman are arrested in Tehran while on a round‑the‑world motorcycle trip and are charged with espionage despite holding valid visas and a pre‑approved itinerary; their family denies any spying activity and calls the charges “ludicrous” [3].
Oct 2025 – The Foremans appear before Tehran’s Revolutionary Court for a three‑hour hearing, are denied the right to defend themselves, and the case is postponed without a verdict [1].
Nov 2025 – The couple launches a hunger strike to protest their detention; after the strike they begin receiving almost daily phone calls from their family, a small relief from their isolation [3].
Dec 19, 2025 – British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper raises the Foremans’ case directly with Iranian officials, urging their release [3].
Dec 22, 2025 – Lindsay Foreman records and shares a Christmas poem titled A Sad Voice From Evin Prison, lamenting family separation and expressing hope for reunion while describing the harsh, vermin‑infested conditions of Evin prison [3].
Jan 2026 – The UK temporarily closes its Tehran embassy, evacuates the ambassador and consular staff, and shifts all consular services to remote operation amid security concerns [2].
Jan 2026 – Iranian lawyers file a bail application for the Foremans and write to the court asserting there is no lawful basis for their continued detention [2].
Jan 2026 – Their son, Joe Bennett, tells the BBC that his parents are in a dangerous, overcrowded jail where vermin infest the kitchen and beds and daily fights can be heard, highlighting the unsafe environment [2].
Jan 2026 – A human‑rights agency reports that Iran’s crackdown on protests has killed about 2,400 people, underscoring the volatile context in which the detainees remain [2].
Feb 19, 2026 – Tehran’s Revolutionary Court sentences Lindsay and Craig Foreman to ten years in prison on espionage charges; Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper calls the verdict “completely appalling and totally unjustifiable” [1].
Feb 19, 2026 – Bennett says his parents have endured 13 months of “dire” conditions with dirt, vermin and violence, that bail applications were ignored, and that their Iranian lawyers see no legal basis for the case [1].
2026 (ongoing) – The UK Foreign Office continues to raise the Foremans’ case with Iranian authorities, maintains travel advisories warning against travel to Iran, and highlights the pattern of dual‑national detentions used as diplomatic leverage [1].