British Couple Sentenced To 10 Years For Spying In Iran.

[WhatSharonSaidNext]

Year after year we see high profile campaigns to release prisoners in Iran on spurious charges. Family members petition and lobby the Foreign Office to intervene as the years slip by. You would have to be living under a rock somewhere not to know that Iran is not a safe country for westerners to travel through and that if you do decide to go against advice and common sense you may not be coming home any time soon.

In the past the Foreign Office have specifically warned British citizens not to travel there. Yet still we have these stupid people who continue to go there risking their own safety expecting the foreign office to spend tax payers money bailing them out when it all goes wrong. I wonder how much of that gets paid back when they eventually get released and sell their stories? Seriously, what on earth is wrong with these people? Why do they think they are so important? Can’t possibly avoid one of the most corrupt countries on the planet, oh no, let’s just drive straight through it. What could possibly go wrong? …

Am I really being unreasonable to think these people are being more than a little bit irresponsible to put themselves in these situations and then expect that just because they are British they have some sort of immunity from anything happening to them?

Is it honestly reasonable for a retired British couple to travel through one of the most politically dangerous countries on earth as part of a nice biking tour, thinking it would be a good idea?

And rather than just clicking you are being unreasonable for the sake of it, could people explain why they think it is a perfectly reasonable thing to do please? Why it’s reasonable for a retired British couple to risk their own safety travelling to a country where everyone knows it is complete madness for a British citizen to travel and why it’s reasonable to expect the Government to sort your own stupidity out afterwards at the cost of tens of thousands of pounds, in a country that despises Britain and is widely known to routinely detain British nationals to use as political pawns?

https://news.sky.com/story/british-couple-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison-in-iran-family-say-13503275

Stupid games = stupid prizes.
Zero sympathy.

And for the record I don't live in Surrey, shop in Waitrose or have a cleaner to tip at Christmas.

This is utter fucking nonsense. You have no idea about how any of us live our lives, and in my case at least, you're way off the mark.

But anyone who has spent even a bit of time living and travelling in countries very unlike our own will be acutely aware that there are risks. And you have to manage those risks in a sensible manner.

I'm certainly not delighted that this innocent but foolish couple have ended up in an Iranian jail. Far from it, I'm frustrated that, in their quest for adventure, they didn't exercise at least a tiny bit of common sense and basic judgement.

And no other countries or options available in the gaping space between English suburbia and a dangerous hell hole? Just either/or? Wise the fuck up.

Anyway, I think they were absolute entitled idiots to travel there. To think that people would see their happy, smiling faces and assume benign intent. But I really hope they will be freed soon. I wouldn’t wish that situation on my worst enemy.

Bit difficult to fulfill that wanderlust and curiousity whilst detained for a decade in an Iranian prison though. Might have been a better idea to fulfill it somewhere without the extremely high risk of being used as a political pawn.

Imagine finding your entertainment posting goady posts on an online forum
i think that's sadder than being middle
class
or from Surrey to be honest

No, they might have considered going to one of the many safe countries on the planet. Your user name fits your tone

Calm down Auntie Angela 😂

They must have known of the risks
Dangerous place to be: Trump is expected to start a military strike on Iran soon
Feel very sorry for their families who must be going through a nightmare

How do you get to a point in life where you hold this kind of view. It truly boggles my mind. There is very clear advice not to travel to Iran for your own personal safety. How does heeding that advice lead you to conclude that those people are small minded, county-dwelling little people? It truly shows you up infact more than anyone else.

They are a pair of dimwits.

As everyone has said plenty of other countries to visit. Obviously.

Lordy - my inlaws live in Surrey, which means .... yikes!! next time they go on holls it'll have to be Iran 😳

Thoughts and prayers 🙏

Iran will use them as a bargaining tool we'll have their faces on the news on repeat.
When they are released they could maybe pop to Gaza or Syria next for some selfies?

Yep. I'm sick of emptying my bins it's time for a jaunt to an unstable Middle Eastern country where they hate westerners, I'll pack my bikini now.

This comment is even more hilarious than your other one. You are shockingly ignorant of the realities of travelling in a dangerous country. Smaller scale, but I grew up in Belfast during the Troubles. People who wandered into the ‘wrong area’, not even deliberately like this couple, could end up beaten to a pulp or murdered. But that’s ok if you’re indulging your ‘wanderlust’. Despise away. You are very, very naive.

I've never tipped anyone at Christmas. I hope that's ok.
I shop in Waitrose though.

I love the smell of Internet EdgeLord in the morning. Almost makes me want to book the next flight to Tehran.

🙄

They were warned by friends, family and the foreign office not to travel there, but ignored them all because they wanted to create content.

Yes we need to do all we can to get them out but it's hard to have any sympathy for them.

I do think part of the problem is that we teach everyone that all cultures are wonderful. Iran is actually a terrifying place run by Islamists.

Tipping and supermarket preferences aside, in all seriousness this is probably being used by Iran for leverage. I suspect this couple are less prisoners, more hostages. The UK will intervene, maybe give some sort of concession in a deal to get them out.
That's what usually happens. I hope it happens soon.
Now, does anyone know where I can get good couscous from?

I think you’re the one being judgmental, speaking of bourgeois lives and dinner parties. There are hundreds if not thousands of fabulous places in the world to visit that are not on the tourist trail, all of which are probably a lot safer than Iran. Travelling against F.O. Guidelines is not recommended, especially when you then run into trouble and have to ask the very people who warned you not to go there for help.

Don't forget to pay your cleaner in advance.

Don't forget to download some Israeli dance music to listen to.

Now, does anyone know where I can get good couscous from?

North Korea

Which Sudan? North or South?