A British couple detained in Iran were making a film about happiness, their family has insisted, as it emerged that Iranian authorities are claiming the footage is proof that the pair were spies.
Lindsay and Craig Foreman, who were arrested in the Iranian city of Kerman in early January and are charged with espionage, had their second court hearing last week.
They had been interviewing people they met during their travels through Iran asking them what makes for a happy life. They had plans to show their film at a psychology and wellness conference in Australia, the last stop on their motorcycle trip around the world.
Ms Foreman's son, Joe Bennett, said the couple had a real passion for their project and had filmed interviews in other countries before arriving in Iran.
“They’re both interactive people who have a deep love for people and travel,” Mr Bennett said.
But the Iranian authorities have claimed these filmed interviews, which were mainly with women and included questions such as “what do you think of life here?”, were evidence of an attempt to promote regime change.
Ms Foreman told her son that the hearing had not gone well, in the second call they have had since her arrest. He feared she and Mr Foreman were losing hope.
“Hearing that loss of hope in her voice had been so hard,” he told old parliamentarians at a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hostages and Detainees on Wednesday.
Ms Foreman told her son she had found a rat in her bed. He fears her mental and physical health are declining due to her incarceration and overcrowding at Evin prison.
“It's not just the physical, it's the mental toll of what's happening. It's just a matter of time. All of the setbacks are chiselling away at them as people,” he told The National after the meeting.
“No matter how strong you are, if you are constantly being set back, all of these little events that happen chisel away at you.”
Hostage negotiator
Mr Bennett feared that his family were caught in a waiting game between the British and Iranian authorities.
The family met Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper recently but said they were advised to wait until the outcomes of the hearing before deciding on the next steps.
“There's a lot of words with little action. It's waiting for something to happen,” Mr Bennett said during the meeting. “There’s no plan in place for their release, or even an indication that there is one behind the scenes.”
The family and rights groups hope that the coming appointment of a special envoy for hostage affairs, in line with a similar role in the US, would change that.
“What the UK does is it sits back and allows this to happen and watches process take place,” Brendan O’Hara, MP and foreign affairs spokesman for the Scottish National Party, told The National.
“There really does have to be a complete change of tack by the UK government in how it approaches this. It has the opportunity with a special envoy to do that, but the special envoy has to have the powers to be able to make that happen.”
A former US special envoy for hostage affairs, Roger Carstens, set the benchmark for hostage negotiations, securing the release of 58 Americans in Iran, Venezuela, Myanmar, Russia, Nigeria and Afghanistan in four years.
“It needs someone of that stature to go to these places and negotiate robustly,” Mr O’Hara said, adding that the special envoy's influence could be re-enforced by making them a prime ministerial appointment.
A shortlist for the envoy, who will answer to the Foreign Secretary, has already been prepared, with a chief of staff and team appointed, according to Rupert Skilbeck, chief executive of Redress, a charity working with hostage survivors and their families.
But the appointment was delayed by the cabinet reshuffle in September, Mr Skilbeck said during the meeting.
He hoped that the envoy would be a former diplomat or government minister, with a direct line to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Office, among other departments, while serving as the central point of contact for the families of detainees.
Mr Skilbeck expects an appointment to be made by the end of the year.
British consular staff were barred from entering the Foremans’s last court hearing, Mr Bennett said, adding to concerns about the UK government’s ability to secure their release.
They also could not attend the first hearing in August as they had not been notified.
“What we hear is that the health and welfare consular access is of paramount importance,” Mr Bennett said. “That shouldn't be the core focus; the core focus of everything we do should be their release.”
Their defence lawyer in Tehran has told the family that he had succeeded in having one of the charges dropped – attempting to subvert the Islamic Republic – but that they still faced accusations of espionage.
However, they have been denied access to copies of the charges brought against the couple or any legal documents because it was against Iranian law.
If you go...
Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.
Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.
More coverage from the Future Forum
THE SPECS
Touareg Highline
Engine: 3.0-litre, V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Power: 340hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh239,312
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
Scoreline
Saudi Arabia 1-0 Japan
Saudi Arabia Al Muwallad 63’
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
- It’s important to use clear and appealing photos, with catchy titles and detailed descriptions to capture the attention of prospective buyers.
- Try to advertise a realistic price to attract buyers looking for good deals, especially in the current environment where consumers are significantly more price-sensitive.
- Be creative and look around your home for valuable items that you no longer need but might be useful to others.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
