The family of a British couple detained abroad claim they haven’t heard from their parents in over 200 days – and fear they might not still be alive.
Craig and Lindsay Foreman visited Iran during their round-the-world motorbike trip.
The couple, both aged 52, were warned by the Foreign Office and their family to avoid passing through the strict state.
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In January, they were held back by the Iranian government on unspecified espionage charges, claiming they were “posing as tourists” to gather intelligence against the country.
Since being put behind bars, their family claim they haven’t once spoken to them, reports Need To Know.
Last week, over 40,000 people shared a video from their son, Joe Bennett, pleading for a phone call with his parents.
The Foreign Office organised the call for Thursday (24 July).
But sadly, this never happened.
“We haven’t spoken to them once,” Joe said.
“We don’t know their condition, their state of mind, or even with certainty that they are alive.
“All we have had are vague reassurances from officials.
“Nothing from them directly.”
The family, from East Sussex, says the failure to allow communication is a “breach of international human rights”.
Joe said, “This should have happened long ago.
“We have had to plead, not just for ourselves, but for Lindsay and Craig, and then we had to wait, and wait, [with] no news again.
“This is agony for our family and must be even more so for them.
“How must Mum and Craig be feeling? Did they know and have their hopes dashed?
“We simply do not know.”
The silence has been described as “unbearable” by their loved ones.
He added, “We are now just short of seven months, and there is still no word from them.
“This is very worrying, very strange.
“Why is this British couple being singled out for treatment that is more than double the length of what others have endured?
“And this isn’t just one family; there are two families suffering here.
“The pain and suffering are multiplied.
“It is intolerable.
“We need to hear from them now. We still don’t know how they are. They should not be there.
“The Foreign Office must make sure this phone call happens now.
“The government must focus on bringing them home as a matter of urgency.”
Joe, and his siblings, Toby, 19, Kieran, 27 and Chelsea, 30, are pleading with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary David Lammy to intervene on their behalf.
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