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Iran Extends Prison Sentence for Detained British National Craig Foreman

Craig Foreman's 10-year sentence was reportedly increased by two years as he and his wife continue a months-long hunger strike in Tehran's Evin prison.

Sourced from CBS News
Published July 16, 2026 at 7:01 PM EDT
Iran Extends Prison Sentence for Detained British National Craig Foreman

The Facts

Who
Craig Foreman, Lindsay Foreman, and family spokesperson Joe Bennett
What
Extension of a prison sentence for a British national held on espionage charges.
When
Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Where
Tehran, Iran
Why
The prison sentence was reportedly extended because the detainee spoke to the media; the couple remains on a hunger strike to protest their conviction.

A British national imprisoned in Iran has had his 10-year sentence extended by an additional two years, according to his family. Craig Foreman, 52, and his wife Lindsay, 53, were arrested in January 2025 during a motorcycle trip and later convicted of espionage. The couple and British officials have denied the charges, describing the Foremans as tourists.

The family spokesperson, Joe Bennett, stated that the sentence extension was reportedly issued because Foreman spoke to the media. Bennett alleged that his stepfather was brought before a judge without a lawyer or translator and was denied the opportunity to defend himself. The British Foreign Office confirmed it is seeking clarification from Iranian authorities regarding the reports.

The couple has been on a hunger strike since May in protest of their detention. According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), Craig and Lindsay Foreman have lost 35 and 30 pounds respectively, and are reportedly being denied adequate medical care. The two are currently held at Tehran's Evin prison.

United Nations special rapporteurs and British officials have called for the couple's release, citing concerns over fair trial guarantees. The British government has recently appointed a special envoy to assist with complex detention cases abroad as the family advocates for the Foremans to be classified as victims of arbitrary detention.

This story was rewritten from reporting at CBS News. Read the original for full detail.

Summaries are written by The Plain Record to state the facts of a story plainly and without political slant. See our editorial standards, or report a correction.

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