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British couple detained in Iran as family demands urgent action
Craig and Lindsay Foreman, a British couple arrested in Iran in January during a motorbike journey from Europe to Australia, remain detained on espionage charges-allegations their family vehemently denies. Richard Ratcliffe, husband of formerly detained British-Iranian national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, has criticized the UK government for failing to act decisively, warning that another family risks years of separation.
Calls for government accountability
Ratcliffe, who campaigned for his wife's release after her 2016 arrest on similar charges, accused officials of repeating past mistakes. "The current pretence is unsustainable," he told the BBC, urging transparency and "serious measures" to secure the Foremans' return. He condemned the government's slow response in his wife's case, noting it took years for ministers to acknowledge her detention as hostage-taking.
"We hoped lessons would be learned," Ratcliffe said. "But the approach to Craig and Lindsay's case suggests otherwise."
Family's plea for intervention
The Foremans' son, Joe Bennett, has led a full-time campaign for their release since their arrest. He described their conditions in Tehran's Evin prison-where they are held in separate, overcrowded cells-as "horrific," with limited contact and deteriorating health. The couple recently ended a hunger strike protesting their isolation and lack of visits, though Bennett reported they remain "thin" and deprived of dignity.
"My mum and Craig are British citizens. They are living in horrific conditions, isolated, kept behind bars, stripped of their human dignity."
Joe Bennett, son of Lindsay Foreman
The family insists the couple entered Iran legally with valid visas, a licensed guide, and an approved itinerary. They have yet to face trial despite multiple court appearances.
Government response and travel warnings
The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) stated it takes "allegations of human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, very seriously," but acknowledged that diplomatic influence varies by case. The FCDO maintains its advisory against all travel to Iran, citing a "significant risk" of arrest for British nationals.
Another British-Iranian dual national, Anoosheh Ashoori, was released alongside Zaghari-Ratcliffe in 2022 after five years in detention. Their cases have drawn parallels, with families demanding swifter government action to prevent prolonged suffering.
Background: A pattern of detentions
Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a charity worker, was arrested in 2016 while visiting Iran with her daughter. Accused of plotting against the state-a charge she denied-she spent nearly six years in prison before her release. Her husband's campaign highlighted systemic delays in UK responses to hostage situations, a critique now echoed in the Foremans' case.
