Arrested or detainedin prison abroad

What you should do

If youyou’re are arrested or detainedin byprison the authorities in another country, you should:

• ask the local authorities, such as the police or prison, to notifytell the local British embassy,embassy high commission, or consulate thatyou’ve you have been arrested or detained.put Youin canprison sayand thatwant youconsular wouldassistance like– consularthey assistancehave to do this if you ask them
• ask family or friends to contact the local British embassy, high commission, or consulate, or call the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on +44 (0)20 7008 5000.5000, You can contact us by phone from anywhere in the world, 24/7
• consider carefully whether you want legal representation. You can get legal advice by consulting a local lawyer. – this is highly recommended. In some countries, you may be able to get legal aid. You should discuss costs before making an agreement
• informtell the police or prison authorities about any physical or mental health concerns you have, and any medication you take – the embassy or consulate can help you with this if necessary
• read arrested or in prison abroad guidance for the country you’re in

How wethe British embassy or consulate can help

WeThe British willembassy aimor toconsulate will keep in regular contact with you asand soondo aswhat possibleit aftercan beingto notifiedsupport thatyour youhealth haveand beenwelfare while arrested or detained.in Weprison willabroad. This thencould providebe assistanceby accordingtelephone, toletter, youremail circumstancesor andvisiting localyou conditions.in We can:person.

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discuss your concerns.

The embassy or consulate cannot:

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• explainoffer tolegal you,advice, orstart yourlegal familyproceedings or friends,investigate whethera theycrime
• interfere canwith callthe orlocal visitjustice you,system
• prevent andyou whetherfrom theybeing candeported sendafter money,release

Contacting books,family or otherfriends

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• putupdate you,them andon your family,welfare.

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• keep. inYou regularcan contactalso withask you,for eithera bypaper visitingcopy inof person,this list.

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• givecountry youyou’re informationin aboutto anyfind localout procedureswhether forcourt-appointed earlylawyers releaseor inlegal exceptionalaid circumstances. This is generallyavailable.

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• put you incommunicate touch with non-governmentyour organisationslawyer suchor asat Theyour Deathtrial, Penalty Project or Reprievefor ifprison youvisits. areDiscuss chargedall costs with athem crimein thatadvance.

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• getpeople youinvolved outin of prison or pay your fines
• getcase.

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• give embassy or payconsulate formay legalbe advice,able startto legalhelp proceedingstransfer onmoney yourfrom behalf,friends or interferefamily, inbut localthere judicialmay procedures
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Confidentiality

Sharing andinformation UKabout lawyour enforcement

case

WeThe British embassy or consulate will not normallyusually passtell onanyone, informationincluding your family, about your case towithout ayour thirdpermission. party,However, includingit familyhas members,to withouttell yourthe consent.UK However,authorities if youyou’re areaccused arrestedof for certain serious offences,offences suchlike assexual childassault sex abuse or drugs crimes,crimes. weThis mustmight tellappear otheron relevanta UKcriminal authorities.record check.

TransferTransferring to a UK prison

ThereThe mayBritish beembassy or consulate can advise on whether there is a prisoner transfer agreement between the UK and the country where youyou’re are in prison. FindThis outmeans ifsome prisoners can serve the rest of their sentence in the UK.

You don’t have an agreementautomatic exists,right ifto youa areprison eligible,transfer. andThe howUK and the processcountry works,you’re in theboth Prisonerneed Packto agree before a transfer can happen. Your request may be refused for thevarious relevantreasons, country.

Forfor moreexample information,if you canhave ask:

• not lived in the prisonUK authoritiesfor wherea younumber are
• theof nearestyears UKand embassy,you highhave commissionno orclose consulate

family living there.

YouThe process can also contactbe slow and complicated. Read arrested or in prison abroad guidance for the relevantcountry authoritiesyou’re in to find out how the UK:process works and how to apply there.

Complaining about mistreatment

If you’ve been mistreated or abused:

• HMtry Prisonto andsee Probationa Servicedoctor
• get (Englanda andmedical Wales)report
• Scottishtake Prisonphotos Serviceof your injuries if possible
• Northerntell Irelandthe DepartmentBritish ofembassy Justiceor consulate as soon as it’s safe

Torture

The andBritish mistreatment

Weembassy takeor allconsulate allegationstakes orall concernscomplaints ofabout torturemistreatment, abuse and mistreatmenttorture seriously. WeThey will followput upyour withbest actioninterests appropriatefirst, toand thenot circumstancesdo ofanything thethat case.might put you, or anyone else, at risk.

WeThe British embassy or consulate will do ourits best to ensuremake thatsure youyou’re are safe. This couldmay include:

• visiting you more frequentlyoften
• checking on your welfare and helping you to get access to medical treatment
• consideringdiscussing supportyour forcomplaint
• explaining acomplaints transfer,procedures
• telling ifyou about any organisations that can help you
• supporting wishyour torequest movefor a transfer to another wing or facility

AlthoughThe weBritish cannotembassy investigateor tortureconsulate orcan’t investigate mistreatment allegations, withbut yourwill permissionconsider wespeaking canto raise them with the local authorities.authorities We can seek an end to the mistreatment and ask for ityou. toIt be investigated and the perpetrators brought to justice.

If you do not want to raise the allegations immediately, we can help you do this later –if for example, after you havedon’t returnedwant to themake UK.a complaint immediately.

We

Other willorganisations putthat yourcan besthelp

The interestsBritish first.embassy Weor willconsulate avoidcan any action that might put you,you orin anytouch with other personorganisations that maymight be affectedable atto risk.help you.

Organisations that can help

Prisoners Abroad

UK charity Prisoners Abroad provideshelps information, advice and support to British citizensnationals in detentionprison abroad, and their families. ThisThey includes:can usually help with:

• limitedyour financialrights assistance,as fora example for food and other essential items where these are not providedprisoner
• translationshealth issues
• readingtransfer materialto forthe example handbooksUK
• supportgetting formagazines, familiesnewspapers and books
• freepostphrasebooks, envelopeslearning youthe canlocal uselanguage toand writetranslating to people free of charge from most countriesdocuments

Prisoners

funds Abroadfor worksessential withmedicines theand FCDOtoiletries toif provideyou servicesdon’t tohave Britishenough citizensmoney

preparing heldfor inrelease, detentionand overseas.support Theywhen canyou keepreturn into touchthe withUK

support you and youradvice familyfor throughout your timefriends in detention and onfamily

UK release.Helpline We+44 recommend(0)20 that7561 you6820 contactor Prisoners0808 Abroad172 and0098

Monday authorise us to shareFriday information9:30am aboutto your4:30pm case(UK with them.time)

Reprieve

PrisonersReprieve Abroadis cana alsocharity supportthat resettlementprovides forlegal returningand prisonersother whohelp alreadyto usepeople theirfacing services.human Theyrights cannotabuses guaranteearound thisthe forworld.

Fair everyoneTrials

Fair andTrials theyis cannota assistcharity ifwith youa onlyrange contactof theminformation whenon youvarious arecountries’ backlegal insystems theand UK.useful Yousources must keep Prisoners Abroad informed of your release date.support.

The Death Penalty Project

The Death Penalty Project is a UK-based charity. It provides free legal representation, advice and assistance to people facing the death penalty around the world.

ReprieveThe Salvation Army

ReprieveThe isSalvation aArmy charitysupports thatprisoners provides legal and othertheir formsfamilies. ofThey assistancework towith peopleformer facingprisoners humanto rightshelp abusesthem aroundreintegrate into the world.community.

FairThe TrialsPrison Fellowship

FairThe TrialsPrison Fellowship is a humanChristian rights organisation thatsupporting worksprisoners toand improvetheir respectfamilies, forincluding theemotional rightand tospiritual asupport. fairThey trialwork inwith criminalpeople cases. It cannot respond to individual requests for help, but its website provides a range of informationall onfaiths various countries’ legal systems and usefulno sources of support.faith.

Feedback

WeFCDO welcomewelcomes your views on the support weit provide,provides, to help us to identify what weit dodoes well and what weit could do better. Contact usFCDO using ourthe feedback contact form.

Disclaimer

AlternativelyRead writethe disclaimer relating to us:this guidance.