Table of Contents
- Frustrated Plea for Release
- Details of Detainment
- Government Response
- Conditions in Prison
- Travel Warning
The son of a British woman who was imprisoned in Iran along with her husband has made a desperate appeal to “bring them home.”
The couple has been held in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison since January and is expected to remain incarcerated for an indefinite period.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were arrested in Iran in January and have since faced espionage charges.Credit: PA
The couple has been incarcerated in Iran since January.Credit: PA
Lindsay’s son, Joe Bennett, appeared on Sky News to discuss the situation.Credit: PA
The couple was touring the world on motorcycles at the beginning of the year when they were detained and subsequently charged with espionage.
The East Sussex couple has consistently denied these allegations.
Joe Bennett expressed his frustration with the government’s response.
Although they have received support from the Foreign Office, Bennett shared with News that he feels there is a strategy to wait and let this judicial process, which he views as a complete circus, unfold.
“We were informed nearly two months ago, during their last court appearance, that a verdict would be issued in a couple of weeks,” he stated.
“Now, two months have passed, and nothing has changed.”
“I keep insisting that the government needs to be more accountable and vocal.”
Bennett mentioned that he had met with the Foreign Secretary, who suggested that the Foreign Office did not wish to appear as if they were interfering with the judicial proceedings in Iran. However, he believes that enough time has elapsed.
“They are accused of spying for the British government,” he stated.
“Yet the same UK government has not publicly defended them or categorically denied the allegations.”
“This is not a minor offense like shoplifting or a petty crime… This is a serious state-level accusation, and the government should be supporting its citizens,” he added.
He expressed a feeling that the government is “waiting for something.”
“We’re currently at an impasse – waiting for the UK to take action, the UK is waiting for Iran to act, and my parents and our family are caught in the middle,” he remarked.
Bennett noted that his mother has been struggling with her health due to poor conditions in the prison.
“The conditions are extremely unsanitary,” he explained.
“She’s preparing food in a kitchen infested with rats.”
Bennett has been advocating for the couple’s release since their imprisonment.Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
The couple was on a worldwide journey when they were detained in Iran.Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
They were undertaking a trip around the world on motorcycles.Credit: Not known, clear with picture desk
“The situation is dire for both of them.”
Bennett stated that the couple has “lost significant weight” due to inadequate nutrition.
“They are subsisting on rice and gristle every day,” he revealed.
“They cannot exercise… The environment is overcrowded and cramped.”
Bennett, who is now preparing for a Christmas without the Foremans, expressed feelings of “guilt”
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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