The family of two British nationals imprisoned in Iran is pleading for urgent action, as the couple approach 18 months behind bars. Lindsay and Craig Foreman are being held in Tehran's Evin prison, having been convicted of espionage. Their relatives say they are increasingly worried about the couple's wellbeing and frustrated by what they see as a lack of progress toward securing their release.
Much of the family's anguish stems from how little contact they have. Their son, Joe Bennett, says they have still not been able to speak to either of his parents directly. Instead, information reaches them in fragments, passed along by lawyers and by third-party family members who themselves have relatives detained in Evin. From what they can gather, the couple seem to be coping, but the situation is reaching what he describes as a really worrying stage.
A central concern now is Craig's health. According to his son, Craig is four weeks into a hunger strike, a point at which, drawing on conversations with campaigner Richard Ratcliffe, the family fears it begins to take a serious toll on the body. The worry is compounded by doubts about the standard of medical care available inside the prison, which the family believes is unlikely to be all that it should be.
The family is also calling on the British government for answers. They want an urgent explanation as to why potential avenues for the couple's release are not being pursued more actively. Joe has gone further, publicly calling for a prisoner exchange as a way to bring his parents home after so many months of detention.
With the British embassy having returned to Tehran, the relatives are pressing for a welfare check to be carried out as soon as possible. They argue it is vital that both Lindsay and Craig are seen in person, with particular concern for Craig given his hunger strike. Both, the family stresses, need to be checked on, and the return of the embassy is seen as an opportunity that should not be missed.
Beyond their physical condition, the family is anxious about the mental strain of prolonged detention. They worry about how the couple are enduring the experience and how their mental health may be affected the longer the ordeal continues, especially with so little direct contact to reassure them or to confirm how they are truly holding up.
The case is further complicated by the wider instability in Iran. The son points to significant issues with bombardments taking place quite regularly in the country, adding another layer of danger and uncertainty to an already fraught situation. For now, the family says it is left waiting, hoping for both a welfare check and a clearer path toward release.