British motorcyclists detained in Iran ‘whisked’ to court
Detained in Iran since January, British motorcycle adventurers Lindsay and Craig Foreman find themselves ‘whisked’ to court.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, the British motorcyclists who were detained in Iran in January of this year, have been subjected to a rushed court hearing, according to numerous media outlets.
The couple, who had been travelling the world on two wheels when they were arrested in the country and charged with espionage, were “suddenly whisked” into court on Wednesday, according to their son, Joe Bennett.
He told UK media outlets that his parents had been given “a state-appointed lawyer they'd only just met,” and that the court proceedings preempted a meeting that Craig Foreman had scheduled for that day with the UK ambassador.
The outcome of the court hearing is unclear, but Bennett says that he is concerned, stating: “We cannot see how [this] could be considered to be a fair trial.”
For their part, the Foremans say they are not guilty of any wrongdoing. It’s unclear what evidence Iranian officials have against the Foremans, but it’s perhaps worth noting that Iran has a history of detaining Westerners on dubious charges - perhaps to use as political bargaining chips. Briton Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is one of the more recent examples. She was held for six years before being freed in 2022.
Bennett says that his mother has apparently received a care package of “essential supplies” but that he remains particularly concerned for his father.
“In Iran's prison system, detainees must rely on money credited to their accounts to buy food, clean water and hygiene products,” he said in a statement issued to the media. "And, as the FCDO has so far been unable to transfer money into Craig's account, I can only guess at how he must be now.”
The FCDO is the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. It’s the government department tasked with a number of diplomatic responsibilities, including the protection of the interests of British citizens overseas.
In light of a diplomatic snafu that delayed Zaghari-Ratcliffe’s return, the government is being understandably tight-lipped about the Foremans, but the FCDO did release a statement that read, in part:
“We are deeply concerned by reports that two British nationals have been charged with espionage in Iran. We continue to raise this case directly with the Iranian authorities…. We are providing [Craig and Lindsay] with consular assistance and remain in close contact with their family members.”
The Foremans had intended to ride their motorcycles - an older model Triumph Tiger 800 and a 2007 Honda Transalp - all the way to Brisbane, Australia.
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Chris Cope is a fourth-generation journalist, originally from Texas. He has lived in the UK for roughly two decades and has been writing about motorcycles for most of that time. He has written for dozens of publications and websites in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia.
