The family of a British couple detained in Iran have requested an urgent meeting with the Foreign Secretary after the pair were “suddenly whisked” to a courtroom in the country’s capital. Lindsay and Craig Foreman were taken into custody in January during a motorcycle tour around the world and were later charged with espionage. The couple, of East Sussex, deny the allegations.
Their son, Joe Bennett, has said the family was informed the pair appeared in court in Tehran on Wednesday with a “state-appointed lawyer they only just met”. He added: “We cannot see how (this) could be considered to be a fair trial.”
The family has said they are “deeply concerned” that they had no prior knowledge of the hearing being organised or carried out.
Through their adviser Radd Seiger, the family have now requested a meeting with David Lammy to ensure efforts are made to secure the couple’s return to the UK as urgently as possible.
Mr Bennett, of Folkestone, Kent, has said the latest court update has raised the family’s concerns about their wellbeing. He said: “The ambassador was due to visit Craig yesterday but that did not happen.
“We are not sure if the ambassador went and Craig was not there because he was whisked away to court. This is deeply worrying, because it has been well over three-and-a-half months since Craig was last seen. At that time, he had already lost weight.
“Now, with no funds and no access to food beyond the bare minimum, I can only guess at how he must be.”
The family said it was their understanding that Lindsay was seen by ambassador Hugo Shorter on Wednesday and “provided with a comfort pack of essential supplies”.
Addressing the court hearing itself, Mr Bennett said the lack of transparency in the case “only deepens our concern”.
He said: “We cannot see how being suddenly whisked into a courtroom with no warning, with a state-appointed lawyer they only just met, could be considered to be a fair trial. At least they saw each other, which must be some relief.
“Craig has now been in Evin Prison for 25 days without access to funds. In Iran’s prison system, detainees must rely on money credited to their accounts to buy food, clean water, and hygiene products.”
Mr Bennett said the Foreign Office has so far been unable to transfer money into Craig’s account, leaving him without the essentials needed to survive. He added: “The lack of transparency only deepens our concern.”
The Foreign Office warns all British and British-Iranian nationals not to travel to Iran due to a “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention”. It has been approached for comment.
