Craig Foreman and his wife, Lindsay Foreman, were detained while traveling through Iran during a round-the-world motorcycle trip at the beginning of 2025. The couple was convicted in February and sentenced to 10 years in prison on espionage charges, allegations they have consistently denied.

Their son, Joe Bennett, said the family had received reports that Craig Foreman was unexpectedly brought before a judge after being told he was being taken to meet his lawyer. Instead, he was informed that his sentence had been increased by two years.

“We have received extremely concerning reports that Craig has been sentenced to a further two years in prison,” Bennett said in a statement.

According to Bennett, Iranian authorities told his stepfather that the additional sentence had been imposed because he had spoken to members of the media while in custody.

“We understand he was told he was being taken to see his lawyer, but was instead brought before a judge and informed of the additional sentence,” Bennett said.

He added that the family was shocked by the reported decision, saying they believed Craig Foreman had been punished simply for making his situation public.

The reported extension comes as both Craig and Lindsay Foreman continue a prolonged hunger strike launched in May to protest their detention. According to the family, Craig has now gone 68 days without food, while Lindsay has been refusing food for 59 days.

Family members said both have lost significant weight and that their health continues to deteriorate as the protest continues.

“My mum and Craig are eighteen months into an ordeal they should never have known,” Bennett said, describing the additional prison term as a violation of fundamental rights and alleging that Craig Foreman had no opportunity to defend himself before the sentence was extended.

The Foremans entered Iran despite travel advice from the British Foreign Office warning against all travel to the country. Their family and friends had also advised them not to make the journey.

The couple are among a number of Western nationals detained by Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Tehran has repeatedly faced accusations from Western governments of engaging in what critics describe as “hostage diplomacy” by detaining foreign citizens to gain political leverage in disputes with European countries and the United States. Iran has denied such allegations.

The latest development comes a day after Iran criticized a British proposal to outlaw support for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps alongside an Iran-linked organization accused of carrying out attacks against the Jewish community.

Iranian authorities had not publicly responded to the family’s latest claims at the time of publication.