A British couple, Craig and Lindsay Foreman, who were arrested while on an around-the-world motorcycle holiday, have been sentenced to 10 years in an Iranian prison on espionage charges.
The devastating news was announced by their family on Thursday, February 19, 2026, sparking renewed outrage and urgent appeals to the UK government for their immediate release.
The couple, both in their 50s and from East Sussex, were initially detained in January 2025 after entering Iran, despite Foreign Office warnings against traveling to the region. According to their son, Joe Bennett, the harsh sentencing follows a brief three-hour trial that took place in October 2025 at Tehran’s Revolutionary Court, during which the pair were reportedly denied the opportunity to present any legal defense or view evidence supporting the spying allegations.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper fiercely condemned the verdict on Thursday, February 19, 2026, describing it as “completely appalling and totally unjustifiable” while vowing to pursue the case relentlessly with Iranian authorities.
The Foremans, who have consistently maintained their innocence and stated their trip was focused on a global initiative promoting human unity, are currently being held in separate wings of Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, where their family says they have endured dire conditions, including solitary confinement, over the past 13 months.