UK condemns 'appalling' 10-year sentence for British couple held in Iran
France 24
by FRANCE 24February 19, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
The UK government has strongly condemned the 10-year prison sentence handed down to a British couple, Lindsay and Craig Foreman, by an Iranian court on espionage charges. The couple was arrested in January 2025 while traveling through Iran on a motorcycle trip around the world. They have consistently denied the allegations of spying. Their son, Joe Bennett, revealed that their trial lasted only three hours and they were not allowed to present any defense. The UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper described the sentence as "completely appalling and totally unjustifiable" and vowed to pursue their case with the Iranian government until their safe return.
The Foremans were detained in Kerman, central Iran, and have been held since then under harsh conditions. Lindsay is being held in the women's section of Evin Prison, while Craig is in its political wing. The prison has a history of poor conditions and human rights concerns, with reports of cramped cells, lack of food, and inadequate legal representation. Their family has raised alarms about these issues and urged the British government to secure their release.
The case has also been tied to broader geopolitical tensions between Iran and Western countries, including the UK. The Foremans were accused by Tehran of entering Iran "posing as tourists" and gathering information. Their son highlighted how they are caught in the crossfire
Verticals
worldpolitics
Originally published on France 24 on 2/19/2026