Amy and Stephen are two British people imprisoned overseas.

The chances are that, imprisonment aside, we all have a friend like Amy or Stephen. They are two ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances. Their suffering is completely unnecessary, but by making a donation you can do something about it.

They need your support today, if you can imagine what life is like for them, you can probably imagine just what a difference it makes knowing that someone out there wants to help you.

Photo of Brazilian prison cell courtesy of Jackie Dewe Mathews

Amy is held in a prison so dangerous that British Embassy staff can’t currently visit Britons held there. She has been there for over a year because she pleaded not guilty at her trial and intends to try and prove her innocence. It was suspected that Amy had cancer before her arrest and now her symptoms have returned. She recently had exploratory tests that accidentally caused further damage. She is now waiting for news while sharing a cell with 16 other people and suffering from constant bleeding and infections.

Amy relies on our grants to pay for much of her treatment and to buy the food and other essentials which are now even more important than ever. Whatever the outcome, we will need to be there for her in the future.

Stephen is held in north Africa. He was recently summoned to court while his English-speaking solicitor was away. He had nobody to help or translate in the court. Despite this he was asked to sign legal documents he did not understand or trust. He refused to sign them and the judge returned him to prison and subsequently severely restricted his visits, including those from his lawyer. Stephen was getting by in prison due to regular visits from his partner and the food, clean clothes and money she brought in. The judge has banned her from visiting and he now relies on grants from Prisoners Abroad to get by.

Conditions in the prison are extremely poor and Stephen feels incredibly isolated; we have sent him books to help him pass the time. His family are desperate in their attempts to help, but face red tape at every turn. Prison rules state letters to Stephen cannot be written in English so our help with translations and liaisonwith prison authorities is really important.

By making a donation you can have a direct effect on the lives of people like Amy and Stephen. Please give whatever you can. Your support will make a life-altering difference at a time when few others are willing to show they care.

Without help, people like Amy and Stephen would be fighting on their own. With help, they have a chance, and although they are far from home and family, they know that they are not alone.

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