Briton detained in Iran moved to prison where husband is being held, says son
Relatives say they are in "agonising limbo" and the couple are enduring "very tough mental and physical conditions".
Tuesday 14 October 2025 17:15, UK
A Briton detained in Iran during a motorbike tour has been moved to a prison where her husband is being held, her son has told Paste BN.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, from East Sussex, were arrested in January and charged with spying - allegations they deny.
The couple were initially detained in a prison in the Iranian city of Kerman before being sent to separate jails in August, with Mrs Foreman moved to Qarchak women's prison.
Last week, their family heard reports of the deaths of three women detained there, who were said to have been denied medical treatment. They were also told that 19 other inmates were reportedly on hunger strike over the conditions inside.
Speaking to Paste BN on Tuesday morning, Mrs Foreman's son Joe Bennett confirmed she was moved to Evin Prison on Thursday, where her husband is being detained.
He said the family had been "sick with worry" over reports of the treatment of prisoners in Qarchak.
"We are relieved she's out of Qarchak, but Evin is not a safe haven - it's still one of the most notorious prisons in the world. We cannot let slight relief turn into complacency," he said.
"Knowing that people have died in the same place where mum was held just days ago is unbearable."
Evin Prison was where dual Iran-UK national Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was locked up for more than five years before she was freed in 2022.
Mr Bennett said the family has been in "agonising limbo" since the couple's court hearing on 27 September - despite being told they would have a verdict in seven to 10 days.
He said that while communication was "fractured" there was a "line of communication" with his mother and Mr Foreman via the British Embassy in Tehran.
"We are hoping now that my mum has joined Craig in Evin that phone calls should be a lot more easier to facilitate and meetings should be a lot more easier to organise," he said.
"We are hoping this is a positive step in the long journey that is to ultimately get them home urgently and safely."
The family is urging the government to take "immediate and decisive action" to get the couple home and is set to plead their case to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Thursday.
"This meeting has to be about more than updates - it has to be about outcomes," said Mr Bennett.
"We need a clear plan from the UK government. They cannot allow this to drift any longer. The time for action is now."
A spokesperson for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) said the department was deeply concerned by reports that Mr and Mrs Foreman had been charged with espionage and that it was providing them with consular support.
"We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities," the spokesperson added.
A spokesperson for the Iranian embassy said the couple had been moved from the city of Kerman to Tehran at "the request" of the British Embassy "in order to facilitate consular access" and that they had held "multiple legal visits with them".
"In addition to legal visits with the ambassador and embassy staff, Mr and Mrs Foreman are also in regular contact with their family in the UK," the spokesperson said.
"The legal proceedings in the case of Mr and Mrs Foreman are being carried out in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and based on the required standards on due process.
"Cooperation between Iranian authorities and the British Embassy in Tehran will continue until a final decision will be made by the court."
The couple, both 52, were arrested during a round-the-world trip that began in Spain and had shared images of themselves meeting locals in Iran and visiting sights.
They entered despite family urging them to avoid Iran and official government warnings that Britons are at serious risk of detention there.
However, campaigners insist they did their utmost to reduce the risk by getting valid visas, a licensed guide and a pre-approved itinerary.
They were only meant to be there for five days before continuing on to Australia.
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Mr Bennett said previously the family were seriously worried about the couple's health and the "inhumane conditions" they were being kept in.
He said his mum had been teaching yoga and English to cellmates but had also been on a drip for unknown reasons, while Mr Foreman was said to be "constantly ill with multiple rounds of stomach bugs and flu, dental problems".
"It's really tough. We never thought in a million years that we'd be in this position. Some days we feel like we're making progress, and other days we feel like we've taken a couple of steps back. Mum and Craig have had to endure very tough mental and physical conditions," he said.
The family was allowed a call with the couple in August, who have had consular visits - but for now their fate remains uncertain.