A British couple detained in Iran have told their family they are now expecting a verdict rather than another court appearance after their last hearing “had not gone well”.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman were taken into custody in January during a motorcycle tour around the world and were later charged with espionage.
The couple, of East Sussex, deny the allegations.
Ms Foreman’s son Joe Bennett said he had recently spoken to his mother for the second time since she was detained, after she was permitted a 20-minute call from prison on Thursday.
“There was very little my mother could say. Her spirits were low," Mr Bennett said.
“She told me that a further recent court appearance last week had not gone well.
“We had been told to expect a verdict rather than another appearance. I don’t know exactly what that means, but I could feel she’s losing hope.”
The family previously said they were "relieved" she had been transferred to Tehran's Evin Prison after two months in a jail where several women died. Mr Bennett said he hoped she would receive “slightly better treatment”, despite its reputation for brutal conditions.
The detained couple’s family met Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper earlier this month, but Mr Bennett described the approach of the UK government as “deeply concerning”.
“Right now, it feels like each side is waiting for the other to move first," he said.
"The British are waiting for a sentence before acting. The Iranians are deciding what sentence to hand down.
“And in the middle of this diplomatic stalemate are my parents, innocent people caught between two systems moving too slowly.”
Mr Bennett added the ordeal "feels like living a nightmare, one we can’t wake from".
“The horizon for their freedom feels hard to see, but with public support, I still believe we can get there,” he said.
The Foreign Office warns all British and dual UK-Iranian nationals not to travel to Iran because of a “significant risk of arrest, questioning or detention”.
The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
Essentials
The flights
Whether you trek after mountain gorillas in Rwanda, Uganda or the Congo, the most convenient international airport is in Rwanda’s capital city, Kigali. There are direct flights from Dubai a couple of days a week with RwandAir. Otherwise, an indirect route is available via Nairobi with Kenya Airways. Flydubai flies to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, via Entebbe in Uganda. Expect to pay from US$350 (Dh1,286) return, including taxes.
The tours
Superb ape-watching tours that take in all three gorilla countries mentioned above are run by Natural World Safaris. In September, the company will be operating a unique Ugandan ape safari guided by well-known primatologist Ben Garrod.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, local operator Kivu Travel can organise pretty much any kind of safari throughout the Virunga National Park and elsewhere in eastern Congo.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
BIO
Favourite holiday destination: Turkey - because the government look after animals so well there.
Favourite film: I love scary movies. I have so many favourites but The Ring stands out.
Favourite book: The Lord of the Rings. I didn’t like the movies but I loved the books.
Favourite colour: Black.
Favourite music: Hard rock. I actually also perform as a rock DJ in Dubai.
AndhaDhun
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Producer: Matchbox Pictures, Viacom18
Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan
Rating: 3.5/5
The%C2%A0specs%20
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-cylinder%2C%204.8-litre%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5-speed%20automatic%20and%20manual%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E280%20brake%20horsepower%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E451Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh153%2C00%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
More from Aya Iskandarani
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
