It was so sad to learn that despite Minister Hamish Falconer telling Parliament recently that Lindsay and Craig were "innocent tourists," in Ambassador Hugo Shorter’s call to Lindsay earlier this week, he advised her to prepare for a prolonged period of detention. We find this message deeply alarming and wholly at odds with the government's own assessment of their innocence.

The BBC interview with both Lindsay and Craig that was aired yesterday paints a stark picture of daily life. Cramped dormitories, poor sanitation, inadequate food and a near-total absence of medical care define their existence. Altercations between prisoners, some carrying makeshift weapons, are a regular feature of Craig’s wing, which houses inmates of multiple nationalities. Food is scarce and monotonous. Lindsay talks about repurposing the previous evening's prison meal as the next day's lunch, stretching what she has. "Those challenges that seem insignificant outside are massively important here," she said.

Craig has shared that four of his cellmates have been executed during his imprisonment. He described a pattern in which inmates are told they have a family visit, then taken away and killed; their deaths confirmed the following day when their faces appear on prison television. The offences involved reportedly included a business connection with an American company and two WhatsApp messages sent to the wrong recipient.

Lindsay is held separately in a women's dormitory. As the only non-Iranian woman in her wing, she described growing hostility, in some cases towards her: "People say, 'Why is your government not doing more?'" She lives alongside women on death row; protesters and religious minorities imprisoned for offences that "we cannot comprehend in the life we lead in a free country." She participates in a weekly hunger strike in protest at ongoing executions.

Craig's message to the British government is unambiguous: "We are innocent people. We have committed no offence. Just take action. Speak out. Get us out. It seems to me we're sitting here like sitting ducks."

Lindsay's most recent contact with the British Ambassador left her without optimism. "I am dealing with the realisation that we are likely to be here for a long time yet," she said.

The UK government's own acknowledgment of the couple's innocence must now be matched by stronger action. We are calling on:

• The UK Foreign Secretary to raise the case directly and publicly with Iranian authorities
• Ministers to move beyond private diplomacy to sustained public pressure
• International partners to coordinate efforts to secure the couple's release

We are particularly concerned that messaging which implies little can be done risks normalising what is, in fact, an unlawful detention of two British citizens. Despite being formally recognised by their own government as innocent, without urgent escalation, Lindsay and Craig Foreman face the prospect of years more inside Evin Prison.

We are reaching out to ask you to redouble efforts to share this petition and ask others to sign - if we could get more than 100,000 signatories on this petition we could be in a position to start a formal UK parliament petition to force a debate in parliament.

Thank you once again for your ongoing support and your donations.

With our warmest regards on this bank holiday weekend.

From the Family and Friends of Lindsay and Craig.