Lindsay and Craig Foreman were detained seven months ago in Iran on espionage charges – and their family has only just received proof of life, and confirmation of their exact whereabouts
For seven agonising months, the children of a couple jailed in Iran didn’t know if their parents were dead or alive.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 52, were arrested while travelling through Iran as part of a motorcycle trip around the world. Anticipating the trip of a lifetime, the adventure was part of a project to explore what makes a good life and community. But on 3 January, they suddenly stopped answering their phones, and never arrived at their hotel.
The couple were charged with espionage by Iranian authorities – a claim their family has firmly and repeatedly denied – but for months, their four children heard little about what was going on and had no idea where their parents were or if they were safe.
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Now, finally their family – made up of Lindsay’s sons Joe and Toby and Craig’s children Kieran and Chelsea – has been given proof of life and confirmation of their parents’ exact location. Even better, Joe has been able to talk to his pyschology coach mum, who is being held at the notorious women’s prison Qarchak – a moment he tells The Mirror was ‘incredible’.
To hear her voice, reassuring and heartbreaking all at the same time,” Joe says. “It affected her hearing my voice, she cried, I comforted her, then she talked. I cried, we laughed and we reconnected, she said she had been looking at the moon, I confirmed I had been too, it felt like our souls were intertwined, that the pain of the last seven months vanished for a moment.”
Joe added, “It’s a wave of emotions, I feel relieved to hear their voice, to know they’re alive, I feel determined, and it has given me strength. I have cried because whilst they seem to be dealing with it, they shouldn’t be having to, and we still do not know how long this will go on. That is tough. We just hope this is the beginning of the end and that they come home soon, safe and well.”
Their conversation was limited because of concerns about officials listening in, however, Joe was able to get an update on his carpenter and craftsman dad, who is being held in Fashofayeh Prison – sometimes known as Greater Tehran Prison.
“I believe they may have been monitored so were maybe limited as to what they could say or wanted to talk about on the call,” Joe explains, adding, “but they did say they were transferred by plane a week ago and separated.”
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get into the nitty gritty of the conditions,” Joe says. “They say it is okay, there is access to essentials. But reading reports and accounts of these places, we know just how inhumane it can be. They are no longer together, so they will need to take courage.”
With no end in sight to their torment, Joe and his siblings are taking comfort in knowing that their parents – who hail from Sussex but now live in Spain – have access to books and company.
“She mentioned that she is currently reading children’s books, we shared a giggle around that and I said we would try to get her some proper reading books.
“They said that they are doing okay, they sounded like they were mentally stable and in reasonable spirits, all things considered. They seem to be holding up and there seems to be others to talk to where they are, which will help, but it will get tougher each day they are apart.”
He added, “I think what could really help would be knowing there will be regular consular visits, that phone calls will be more frequent, and that whatever can be done to get them home is being done.
“They sound okay now, but what they are going through is far from okay,” he said.
For six months, Lindsay and Craig’s family followed the advice they received from the Foreign Office and stayed silent about their parents’ ordeal. But a month ago, after receiving little news, they took matters into their own hands and began a public campaign to secure the couple’s freedom.
Joe explains that it “definitely feels like we are being heard” since, with more than 35,000 people signing a petition so far to pressure the UK government to get the couple home.
“Let’s not forget that for 6 months we hadn’t had any notion of a phone call, there had been nothing,” Joe told the Mirror. “We started the campaign to raise awareness, to highlight their situation, which is wholly unjust, and 4 weeks later, we have had a phone call.
“We’ll never truly know if what we do has an impact, but I do believe this strong support from the public is making a difference, and I will continue to make sure we are doing everything we can to ensure they are returned home as quickly as possible.”
Joe was able to tell his mum about the huge amount of public support the family’s campaign has already received, “I told my mum we are fighting, that we are campaigning for them and their safety and their release, she felt lifted and grateful and thanked everyone for their support.
“It gives us some belief, it gives them some strength, to know we are with them and working on getting them home.”
Determined to bring his parents home and help them stay strong in the meantime, Joe told the Mirror that went the couple is finally released, they have been promised a “big party”.
“We told them we have them in our hearts, that they are loved, missed, and thought about all the time, to stay strong and keep believing.
“That we are looking after everything for them, and not to worry, and focus on keeping themselves right. And that we hope to see them sooner rather than later, and we’ll have a big party and celebration when they do get home.”
The Foreign Office has said about Lindsay and Craig’s case, “We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities. We are providing them with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.”
The Foreign Office advises against any travel to Iran by British citizens or dual nationals.
Sign the petition at https://www.change.org/freelindsayandcraig or to learn more, visit www.freelindsayandcraig.com