Family of UK Couple Detained in Iran Express Concern Over Ongoing Trial
The family of a UK couple detained in Iran on espionage charges have declared they will continue pushing for their release for a long time if required, while expressing concern over the ongoing court case and the couple's welfare.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52 and who previously split their time between Spain and England, were arrested in January in Kerman, southern Iran, while journeying on a global motorbike trip.
The family have maintained their lack of guilt and say they “will leave no stone unturned” as the authorities face demands from members of parliament to secure their freedom.
Legal Proceedings and Relatives' Concerns
On Saturday the pair are believed to have had a trial session in Tehran, with a decision and sentence expected within 10 days. The family had also asked for a British consular official to be present at the trial proceedings, which was “not allowed”. It remains unclear whether the Foremans were granted an chance to state their case.
“Why we want to put the pressure on is not to be troublesome but is to get our parents home,” said Lindsay’s son, Joe Bennett, who is calling on the UK government for diplomatic representatives to be at court hearings, regular communications and well-being visits.
“It has been nine months. Everything to us is going to seem slow, because it’s nine months excessively lengthy. They ought not to be out there for that long.”
Efforts for Release and Government Reaction
Bennett, 31, said before making their campaign known with the effort for their freedom the family saw little progress through the government’s “quiet diplomacy”. Since then, the pair have had a single conversation with the department in August and have had their case brought up in the government, which Bennett views as an sign that matters, hopefully, are moving in the right direction.
“If it does go on for a long time, then we’ll keep pushing for years,” Bennett said on Thursday. “With hope it will not and we can settle it a lot sooner than that, and that’s why as a relative group and as a support group we will endeavour to make sure we explore every possibility in our pursuit of bringing them back.”
Discussion with Foreign Secretary and Political Backing
The family is due to discuss with the top diplomat in the coming weeks after Yvette Cooper took up the role in a cabinet shake-up last month. While “extremely pleased” to have the meeting, Bennett views it as his responsibility to ensure authorities are answerable and that every option to obtain the couple’s release is considered.
The meeting with the diplomatic leader comes after the chair of the all-party parliamentary group on unjust imprisonment and hostage affairs, Alicia Kearns, and 35 parliamentarians sent a letter to Cooper pressing the government to take action.
The APPG, which has also been pushing for the UK to designate a representative for hostage affairs, will conduct an upcoming session on the pair's situation. Last month, the family met Hugo Shorter, the UK ambassador to Iran, discussing alternatives to get the couple home including possibly approaching the EU body as the pair are Spanish residents.
Global Efforts and Government Statements
“We know that there have been various diplomatic missions around the world that have helped in specific cases like this,” noted Bennett. The relatives, and others of well-known UK prisoners detained abroad have called for the authorities to deliver on commitments to help secure their release and appoint a designated representative.
The Foreign Office stated: “We are deeply concerned by reports that Craig and Lindsay Foreman have been accused with espionage in Iran. We continue to bring up this matter directly with the Iranian authorities.
“The FCDO are offering them with diplomatic support and continue in regular communication with their relatives.”
The Iran's diplomatic mission in London has been approached for a statement.