British tourist on motorcycle world tour held in Iran on 10th day of hunger strike

19/05/2026

TEHRAN, May 20: A British citizen imprisoned in Iran has entered the 10th day of a hunger strike inside Tehran’s Evin Prison, protesting restrictions on communication, family contact and access to legal support, according to a source familiar with the case.

Craig Foreman, who has been detained in Iran for 17 months alongside his wife Lindsay Foreman, is reportedly consuming only water, sugar and salt as he protests being denied phone calls, visits with his wife and access to his lawyer. The hunger strike began after prison authorities cut off communication between the couple following a BBC interview in which they spoke about prison conditions in Iran.

The source said Foreman’s condition has deteriorated after more than a week without food and that he is also protesting restrictions on speaking about alleged prison conditions, including witnessing inmates being transferred for execution. He has further accused prison authorities and the judiciary of making repeated “false promises” regarding his case and treatment.

Separately, family members said contact with the couple has been cut off for more than a week after previously being allowed brief daily phone calls. Lindsay Foreman’s son, Joe Bennett, said the sudden loss of communication has left the family deeply worried about their safety, adding that Craig had earlier warned they might stop eating if calls were withdrawn.

The couple, from East Sussex, were arrested during a motorcycle world tour on January 3, 2025, and later sentenced in February to 10 years in prison on espionage charges, which they deny. The United Kingdom has strongly condemned the sentences, calling them “totally unjustifiable.”

The UK government has withdrawn diplomatic staff from Tehran following the escalation of regional tensions, while the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office says it remains in contact with Iranian authorities to seek consular access and work toward their release. Family members, however, have expressed frustration over the lack of progress, pointing to the release of other foreign detainees from Iran as a comparison.

British officials, including the ambassador to Iran, have reportedly engaged with the case, while the Foreign Office has reiterated that it continues to provide consular assistance and is working to secure the couple’s safe return.