The family of a British man jailed in Iran on spying charges says he has been sentenced to a further two years in prison.
Craig Foreman and his wife, Lindsay, were sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in February after being convicted of espionage, charges they each deny.
This week, their family revealed Mr Foreman had been given a further two-year sentence for talking to media outlets.
The couple, from East Sussex, were arrested in January 2025 while travelling through Iran during a round-the-world motorcycle trip. They’re being held in Tehran’s infamous Evin prison.
Their son, Joe Bennett, said the family was ‘extremely concerned’ by the reports.
Join for all of the newest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.
‘Now we have received extremely concerning reports that Craig has been sentenced to an extra two years in prison,’ he said.
‘We understand he was told he was being taken to see his lawyer, but was as a substitute brought before a judge and informed of the extra sentence.
‘Despite requests, he was allowed no lawyer, no translator and no opportunity to defend himself. He was told the 2 years had been added because he had spoken to the press.
‘We didn’t think we may very well be any more shocked at their appalling treatment, but on this case we’re absolutely flabbergasted.’
In June, the couple’s family said the pair had lost an appeal against their convictions and were unable to attend their appeal hearing.
Mr Bennett said Mr Foreman was on the 68th day of a hunger strike, while his wife was on her 59th.
Their family said a letter asking them to finish their hunger strike had not been delivered.
Mr Bennett added: ‘We’re asking, with every part we’ve, for them to be shown mercy and allowed to come back home.’
Their family also welcomed the appointment of Conservative former MP and Middle East minister Alistair Burt because the UK’s first envoy for complex consular cases.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warns all British and British-Iranian nationals to not travel to Iran due to a ‘significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention’.
The federal government previously described the couple’s 10-year sentences as ‘completely appalling and totally unjustifiable’.
An FCDO spokesperson said the department was ‘urgently following up with the Iranian authorities concerning the reported increased sentence’.
Get in contact with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: US uses kamikaze drones to explode Iranian naval bases for the primary time
MORE: Move over, Jude Bellingham — football fans have a brand new England crush
MORE: ‘My dad wouldn’t have been kidnapped if the IRGC were proscribed as terrorists sooner’