A female British citizen detained in an Iranian prison on espionage charges has been hospitalized and put on intravenous drip due to her worsening health condition.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, a couple aged 52, were apprehended in Iran on January 3 while on a motorcycle expedition around the globe, starting from Australia and passing through Iran en route to Armenia. The British pair, hailing from East Sussex, have been accused of espionage and remain in custody, with their relatives vehemently refuting the allegations and advocating for their release.
Lindsay is currently incarcerated at Qarchak women’s prison near Tehran, separated from her spouse. Their son, Joe Bennett, expressed concerns about his mother’s deteriorating health and revealed that she recently required intravenous treatment in her prison cell.
Human rights organizations have criticized the deplorable conditions at the notorious women’s prison, where Lindsay is housed with 70 other inmates, sleeping on a bare metal bed without a mattress.
Joe disclosed to The Times that his father, Craig, is also facing health issues, including a tooth abscess, while detained in Evin prison, where Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was previously held. The family is pressing for the couple’s release and is scheduled to meet with Yvette Cooper on October 16. Craig and Lindsay have a court appearance today, although their family is uncertain about the reasons for the hearing and anticipates waiting until next week for any updates.
Despite the challenging circumstances, the family finds some hope in the recent release of another elderly British couple detained in Afghanistan by the Taliban. Barbie, 76, and Peter Reynolds, 80, who had served in Afghanistan for years, were eventually freed after extensive public advocacy by their family.
Reflecting on this development, Lindsay’s son expressed cautious optimism, acknowledging the differences in the situations but finding solace in the possibility of their loved ones’ eventual release.