UN rights experts warned Wednesday that a British couple on a lengthy hunger strike in an Iranian jail were at serious risk, charging their detention could amount go “hostage-taking”.
Lindsay Foreman and her husband Craig were detained during a round-the-world motorbike trip at the start of 2025. They were sentenced in February to 10 years in prison on espionage charges that they deny.
The pair “should not be in prison”, the United Nations special rapporteurs on torture and on the rights situation in Iran said in a statement.
“They appear to have been wrongfully detained, prosecuted on highly questionable grounds, and sentenced after proceedings that failed to meet basic fair trial guarantees,” they said.
The couple has launched a lengthy hunger strike, with Craig reportedly now past 30 days, and Lindsey past 20.
The independent experts, who are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but who do not speak on behalf of the United Nations, warned they faced “grave risk”.
“After 30 days without food, this is a medical emergency,” they said.
They said Iran should grant them immediate access to medical care and contact with their family and consular representatives.
Their detention appeared to form part of a broader pattern of Iran detaining foreigners for political leverage, said the experts in a message to the Iranian authorities this week.
“The arbitrary detention of foreign nationals on fabricated charges for the purpose of political or other leverage against their country of nationality constitutes hostage-taking” under international law, they warned.
They said the proceedings against the Foremans were marked by grave irregularities, including alleged torture and ill-treatment during the interrogations.
“These are not minor procedural defects,” the experts said.
“They go to the legality of the arrest, the credibility of the prosecution and the safety of the convictions. The cases should be reopened, the convictions quashed, and the Foremans released.”
The experts also highlighted reports of harsh detention conditions, prolonged separation, denial of family contact and denial of consular access.
They voiced concern for the couple’s physical and mental health.
Summing up, they said: “Two people who entered Iran lawfully as travellers now face 10 years in prison in circumstances raising grave concerns of wrongful detention and State hostage-taking.”
