A British citizen imprisoned in Iran has reportedly had his 10-year sentence extended by two years for speaking to the media while in jail, as per his family. Craig Foreman and his wife, Lindsay, received 10-year prison terms after being detained in January 2025 during a motorcycle trip from Europe to Australia. The couple was convicted of espionage, a charge they both refute.
According to relatives, Craig was informed of the sentence extension after communicating with the media from his confinement in Evin Prison in Tehran. Lindsay’s son and family representative, Joe Bennett, mentioned that Craig was unexpectedly presented before a judge instead of his lawyer and was informed about the additional penalty without the chance to defend himself. The reason given for the extension was his media interaction, with Joe expressing shock at the unjust treatment.
Following an unsuccessful appeal, the couple initiated a hunger strike in May. Craig started the strike on May 9, with Lindsay joining him nine days later. Their family noted significant weight loss and a lack of communication with the imprisoned pair due to Iranian authorities’ restrictions.
A human rights group reported that Craig lost around 35 pounds, while Lindsay experienced dizziness and tremors. The family claimed that attempts to persuade them to end the hunger strike and provide essential supplies had been unsuccessful, adding to their distress.
Joe Bennett criticized the injustice, stating that Craig’s punishment for speaking out was unfair and emphasized the breach of basic human rights. The family’s legal team planned to include the extended sentence in a formal complaint to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention.
The couple’s legal representatives argued that their detention violated international law and called for their release. Despite appeals to Iranian authorities and the UK government for intervention, the situation remains unresolved. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office pledged to investigate the reported sentence extension with Iranian officials.