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Sentence extended in Evin
Craig Foreman, 52, a British man jailed in Iran on espionage charges he and his wife Lindsay, 53, deny, had his decade-long prison sentence extended by a further two years, his family said Wednesday, as the couple grow weak from an ongoing two-month hunger strike.
“extremely concerning reports that his stepfather Craig's sentence had been increased”
CBS News reported that Joe Bennett, Lindsay’s son and the family’s spokesperson, said they received “extremely concerning reports” that Craig’s sentence had been increased after he was brought before a judge without a lawyer or translator.
The BBC said Craig was arrested with Lindsay in January while passing through Iran on a motorcycle journey from Europe to Australia, and that in February they were each sentenced to 10 years in jail.
The BBC also reported that the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said it was “urgently following up with the Iranian authorities about the reported increased sentence,” and that Bennett said Craig was “allowed no lawyer, no translator and no opportunity to defend himself.”
Hunger strike and health
The Independent said Craig and Lindsay Foreman have been on hunger strike for 68 and 59 days respectively in protest at their treatment inside Iran’s notorious Evin prison, and it said the family learned Craig’s sentence was extended in a hearing without a lawyer or translator.
The Independent quoted Joe Bennett saying, “He was told the two years had been added because he had spoken to the press,” and it said Bennett added that despite requests, Craig was allowed “no lawyer, no translator and no opportunity to defend himself.”
CBS News reported that Bennett said the couple had been prevented from receiving a letter asking them to drop their protest and start eating again, and it said the family’s statement described both as having lost a significant amount of weight.
CBS News also said HRANA reported Craig has lost 35 pounds and Lindsay has lost 30, and it described Lindsay as suffering dizzy spells and body tremors while the family said they have been denied adequate medical care.
UN experts and consular push
The BBC reported that last month two United Nations human rights experts called on Iran to release the Foremans, saying “Lindsay and Craig Foreman should not be in prison,” and it quoted them saying proceedings had failed to meet basic fair trial guarantees.
“Lindsay and Craig Foreman should not be in prison”
The BBC also said the Foreign Office advised against all travel to Iran since 2022 and described the couple’s 10-year sentences as “completely appalling and totally unjustifiable,” while it said officials continue to provide consular support and told Iran that, if true, the increase is unacceptable.
In parallel, CBS News reported that in June 2025 Israeli forces bombed Evin prison, and it said Bennett and his family only found out a month later that Craig and Lindsay had not yet been transferred, with both eventually moved to Evin in October 2025.
CBS News further reported that the family welcomed an announcement this week that the U.K. government had appointed its first envoy to support British nationals detained in complex cases overseas, and it said the family is pushing for the U.K. to formally recognize the couple’s—