Lindsay and Craig Foreman were on the trip of a lifetime when they were arrested in Iran on espionage charges – and have been detained for over six months. Their family have no idea how they are doing and are campaigning for their release
It has been over 180 days since British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman were arrested by Iranian authorities – and their family has been left bereft without them.
The husband and wife are described by loved ones as the “life and soul of the family” and the kind of people “everyone goes to for love and support” – and now their children have begun a campaign to fight for their release.
The couple had undertaken the adventure of a lifetime before they were detained on espionage charges, which their family strongly deny, saying they are “not spies”.
They were travelling on motorcycles from their home in Andalusia, Spain, all the way to Melbourne, Australia, before they were detained. And as part of their huge expedition, they ended up in Iran – before their dream turned into a nightmare.
Along the way, their family say they hoped to forge connections, learn what makes a great community, and explore what makes a good life, with Lindsay, 53, planning on presenting her findings at a conference once they reached their final destination.
Lindsay’s son Joe, 31, tells to the Mirror that he was “excited” about his mum and Craig’s big adventure. “I was excited for them, Mum and Craig were going on the trip of a lifetime,” he says.
“It’s amazing what they were doing – it was about finding out more about all parts of the world. The whole trip was for around 200 days, and Iran was to be only four days.
“To us, they were just passing through. They had taken advice, they had a guide, and all the right things in place. All they were doing was making new connections and spreading the love.”
Craig’s son Kieren adds: “They had a purpose which was to build a better understanding of everyday life and families around the world, not just a Western civilisation. We had a lot of conversations about it before, and they took all the precautions they thought would be required.”
The Foreign Office warns against any travel to Iran for British or British-Iranian dual nationals, cautioning that there is a serious risk of being detained.
However, Craig, 52, and Lindsay’s passion for understanding other people and celebrating humanity motivated them to take the motorcycle trip – which was also a moving tribute to Lindsay’s late brother.
“Part of this trip was an homage to my mum’s brother Ashley,” Joe explains. “Mum had to overcome a massive fear of motorbikes – her brother Ashley tragically died in a crash when she was a teenager. But she was determined, and she passed her motorcycle test.
“Dad, always the practical one, took care of the gear and bikes. Together, they mapped out the route with care and precision, aiming to arrive in time for the Positive Psychology Conference in Melbourne.”
Joe tells the Mirror that he felt “proud and happy that she was doing something meaningful” when witnessing her show of determination to face her fears.
The couple were due to be transferred to Tehran’s infamous Evin prison in early June – ahead of Israel’s strikes on the facility. For over a month, Joe, Kieren, and their siblings, Toby and Chelsea, had no idea whether their parents had been transferred to Evin, or if they had been injured or even killed in the strikes.
“We have been informed by the Foreign Office via the Iranian MFA that they are in Kerman, and this message said that they were being held in health and safety conditions, but we don’t know exactly where or how they are,” Joe and Kieren say.
With the couple said to be in Kerman Prison, neither Joe nor Kieren has much information about the conditions Lindsay and Craig are being subjected to.
“We are limited on the information we are given on the condition, and we were told they are in a rather small cell together. We think they had a bed, but before they were sleeping on the floor and apart.
“They are trying to keep fit by running in a figure of 8 around that room, but we know that at one time Mum (Lindsay) had problems with her back, and Dad (Craig) also wasn’t walking right.”
Joe and Kieren describe their parents as fun-loving and generous, and they explain that they are struggling without them.
“If you take them as people they are polar opposites but it works – Mum’s the visionary, Craig brings it to life,” Joe says. “They are full of care and adventure, and we just miss them.
“They are the two everyone goes to for help and support. They looked after all four of us with open hearts. Whatever we did, they would offer their advice and support.”
Kieren adds: “They were the organisers of the parties, life and soul of the family, and now that they’ve gone it feels like there is a massive piece missing.”
It is Lindsay’s “big hugs” that Joe craves the most. “My mum, Lindsay, is full of life and love. She is so giving and kind, reaching out to everyone, and I am especially close [to] her, so really I just miss her every day.
“I find it so hard to know she is not there to share my happy moments with, or to help me through difficult times. But most of all, I miss having her big hugs.”
Kieren adds: “Everyone looks up to their dad – I’ve lost the role model I looked up to for years, I miss talking to him, I miss the dry humour, I just miss the stuff that I feel sons get from being with their dad.”
Without his dad Craig and Lindsay, Kieren describes feeling as though he has fallen “down a pit and can’t get up”.
“You don’t have a second to think about your own problems – all you are worried about is their welfare, how they are,” he explains, “You almost feel selfish for being upset about it all. It’s a really weird situation where you feel helpless, you almost feel like you are falling down a pit and you can’t get up.”
Joe says that he spends “every day worried about their wellbeing” and is “fearful for how they are” adding that it is “upsetting you can’t just pick up the phone and speak to them.”
“Dad (Craig) put his heart, soul (and his back) into helping me renovate my place – and I bought him some radios for his trip to say thank you – but really, that wasn’t thanks enough.
“For their wedding dance, they choreographed and learnt a three-minute dance to perform for us all.
“They are so generous and just fun, they always do everything to bring the family together and support us. For example, we have a family bottomless brunch for the entire extended family, which is hosted by Mum and Dad every year.”
The siblings hope that people will contact their MPs to join them in calling for Craig and Lindsay’s release, as well as signing their petition and following the campaign on social media to help to raise awareness.
Sign the petition at https://www.change.org/freelindsayandcraig or to learn more, visit www.freelindsayandcraig.com