UK condemns 'appalling' 10-year sentence for British couple held in Iran

[ad_1] An Iranian court docket has sentenced Britons Lindsay and Craig Foreman to 10 years in jail for espionage, their household introduced on Thursday as they hit out at their therapy.

The couple have been arrested in January 2025 whereas travelling via the nation on an around-the-world bike journey and have persistently denied Tehran's spying claims.

"My dad and mom have now been sentenced to 10 years following a trial that lasted simply three hours and during which they weren't allowed to current any defence," their son Joe Bennett stated in a press release, including relations have been "deeply involved".

Learn extra British couple held in Iran moved to 'worst' prisons, household says

British International Secretary Yvette Cooper on Thursday condemned the couple's sentencing as "fully appalling and completely unjustifiable".

"We'll pursue this case relentlessly with the Iranian authorities till we see Craig and Lindsay Foreman safely returned to the UK and reunited with their household," Cooper stated in a press release.

The couple have been first detained as they handed via Kerman, in central Iran, whereas on a round-the-world bike journey.

Tehran has insisted they're spies, with Iran's judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir final 12 months alleged that the Foremans entered Iran "posing as vacationers" and gathered info earlier than their arrest.

Lindsay Foreman is at the moment being held within the ladies's part of Evin Jail in Tehran whereas Craig is in its political wing.

The jail has lengthy been criticised by worldwide human rights organisations for its dire circumstances and therapy of prisoners.

Their household have raised considerations about circumstances, together with cramped cells and lack of meals, in addition to a scarcity of authorized illustration and urged the British authorities to safe their freedom.

Bennett has stated the couple have been "caught within the center" of geopolitical tensions between Tehran and different Western nations, most notably the USA, in addition to "very tough" UK-Iran relations.

He and different relations have been campaigning publicly on the case ever since their arrests.

They marked the one-year anniversary of the detentions by handing in a petition to Downing Avenue signed by tens of 1000's of individuals urging the British authorities to do extra to free them.