Briton Imprisoned in Iran Receives Additional Sentence for Media Contact
Details Surrounding the Foreman Case and Sentence Extension
Background of the Arrest and Sentencing
LONDON, July 15 (Reuters) - The family of British couple Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who are serving a 10-year prison sentence in Iran on espionage charges that they deny, said on Wednesday that a judge had extended Craig Foreman's sentence by two years for speaking to the media.
The couple were arrested in 2025 while travelling through Iran by motorcycle as part of a round-the-world journey. Britain has described their original sentences as "totally unjustifiable".
Allegations of Unfair Legal Process
Family's Statement on Legal Proceedings
Joe Bennett, Lindsay Foreman's son and the family's spokesperson, said they had received reports that Craig Foreman had been taken before a judge and informed that his sentence had been extended because he had spoken to the media.
"We understand he was told he was being taken to see his lawyer, but was instead brought before a judge and informed of the additional sentence," Bennett said in a statement.
Denial of Legal Rights
He said Craig Foreman had been denied access to a lawyer and a translator and was given no opportunity to defend himself.
International and Government Response
British Government's Reaction
A spokesperson for Britain's foreign ministry said in an emailed statement that they were "urgently following up with the Iranian authorities about the reported increased sentence".
United Nations Concerns
Last month, two independent U.N. experts said the Foremans appeared to have been wrongfully detained and sentenced following proceedings that failed to meet basic fair trial guarantees, while expressing concern over a hunger strike the couple began in May.
(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti, editing by Andrei Khalip)
