What can I do if I suspect someone has been arrested? Expand If you suspect someone British has been arrested abroad, you should call the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) on 020 7008 1500 (from 2nd September 2020 known as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on the new phone number of 020 7008 5000), to make them aware of the situation. If you are outside the UK, call the British Embassy/Consulate in that country. Staff at the British Embassy in the country of arrest will then try to make contact with the person to get more information, and will encourage them to sign up with Prisoners Abroad for additional support while they’re detained. You can see information about prisons in each country, as well as lists of local lawyers and translators, and contact details for British consular staff, on their website: https://www.gov.uk/help-if-you-are-arrested-abroad/y General information about how the FCDO can assist can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/arrest-or-detention/arrested-abroad-advice-for-british-nationals
Will my friend/relative have a criminal record in the UK when they come back? Expand For serious offences, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is obliged to share information with the UK authorities when a prisoner returns to the UK. Information about offences is often shared between countries anyway. The charity Unlock has a very good summary on their website of how this works in practice.
My friend/relative will be released soon but they don’t have a passport. Can you help them apply for one? Expand Applying for a passport from within prison is not always straightforward, not least because getting passport photos taken and gathering documents can be very difficult. However, in some more accommodating prisons it is possible. Take a look at our factsheet on the subject for more information about how this might work.
Do you share information with third parties? Expand We operate a very strict confidentiality policy and will not disclose any information regarding your loved one’s situation or alleged offence to third parties unless we have their express consent to do so. However, if your friend/relative is registered with Prisoners Abroad, they will have signed our authorisation form. This will give us permission to share information and receive updates from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) or local British Embassy dealing with their case. Our family support service is completely confidential as well so you can rest assured that when you contact us, we will do all we can to help in a discreet and non-judgemental way.
Can my friend/relative serve their sentence in the UK? Expand Prisoner Transfer Agreements (PTAs) allow British prisoners to serve the remaining part of their sentence in the UK. Not all countries have PTAs in place but see our separate factsheet for more information on how this process works. Remember that your relative will only be able to apply to transfer to a UK prison, once their sentence is final, and there are no appeals or fines outstanding.
Can Prisoners Abroad visit my friend/relative in prison? Expand We are a very small charity and only have one office in London. We deliver lots of our services via staff in the British Embassies and Consulates around the world and they visit prisons periodically. However, we do not conduct prison visits ourselves.
Will I be able to visit? Expand Most prisons allow visits although rules vary considerably. In most instances, visitors need to get permission to visit, either by applying for a permit or submitting paperwork to get their name added to a list. Consult the FCO prisoner pack for more specific advice and get in touch with us if you need help with booking a visit in either France or Spain. We understand that visiting a loved one in prison can be a very nerve wracking and emotional experience. We’ll do everything we can to help you prepare for your visit and ensure that it goes smoothly. Please feel welcome to call us once you’ve visited to talk through how it went and any issues it raised.
Can Prisoners Abroad help someone if they are out on bail? Expand Due to our very limited resources, we are unable to continue supporting anyone released on bail. Often, a condition of bail will be that a person has to stay in the country in which they've been arrested. We urge people to think carefully about how they will support themselves outside of prison in a foreign country for an indefinite amount of time if they are granted bail.
How long can my friend/relative be kept on remand? Expand Periods of time spent on remand (pre-trial) can be lengthy and we know that this is often very difficult for the prisoner and their family and friends. Some countries may have a limit on the amount of time someone can be kept on remand – we’d advise you check the FCO’s prisoner pack to see if this is the case. We cannot intervene in legal proceedings/speed cases up in any way, but we can help to ensure that the person in detention understands how their case is progressing.
How do I find a lawyer? Can you recommend a good one? Expand As a welfare charity, we are not able to recommend lawyers or give legal advice. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office can provide a list of English-speaking lawyers in each country but Prisoners Abroad is not able to vouch for their credibility. Some countries may provide court appointed lawyers if the prisoner is unable to afford a private lawyer.
How can I keep in touch with someone in prison? Expand You can usually communicate via letter and some prisons will also allow outgoing phone calls, although these can be costly. We provide prisoners with international freepost envelopes so that they can stay in touch with friends and family without having to worry about the cost of stamps or stationery. There are sometimes restrictions around prisoners receiving items other than letters in the post. If you’re unsure of the rules, try checking the FCO prisoner pack or ask us for advice. If you need help with getting your phone number approved by the prison or sending money for phone calls, please get in touch with us.
What support can you provide to the friends/family of prisoners? Expand Prisoners Abroad’s Freephone helpline (0808 182 0098) is open from 9.30am-6pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, and from 9.30am-4.30pm from Wednesday to Friday. It is free to call from a UK landline or mobile. We can answer practical questions about keeping in touch with your relative in prison and we can also listen and provide support if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the situation. If your relative is in prison in France or Spain, we may also be able to help with some of the practicalities of arranging visits and liaising with the prison authorities. We hold Family Days and Family Support Groups too; you can find out more information about an event near you on our Family Support and Events page. If you can’t attend an event, there are other ways that we can link you with people experiencing the overseas imprisonment of a loved one, by phone or on our online family network.
What support can Prisoners Abroad provide for someone in prison? Expand Prisoners Abroad can provide practical and emotional support to prisoners. This includes money for vitamins, food and toiletries (in developing countries). We are able to help cover the cost of emergency medical care or dental treatment which is not paid for by the prison authorities. We help prisoners stay in touch with their friends and family through providing international freepost envelopes and assisting with prison visit bookings. Prisoners Abroad can also send English-language books, magazines and newspapers to help sustain mental health and reduce isolation. If the language barrier is making it difficult to understand legal proceedings or prison rules, we have volunteers who can help with translating documents.
How can I help a prisoner manage their financial affairs while they're detained? Expand If you want to help a prisoner manage their financial affairs while they’re in prison, the prisoner will need to complete a Power of Attorney form. Once completed, this will give the named person permission to liaise with the relevant agencies (landlords, banks, creditors, etc.) on the prisoner's behalf. The power of attorney form should be completed using the accompanying guidance notes. If the person in prison overseas is unable to have contact with the outside world and therefore to sign a Power of Attorney, it may be that the Guardianship (Missing Persons) Act 2017 would be relevant for the purposes of appointing someone to manage their affairs. There is more information in the Code of Practice and further advice would need to be sought from a lawyer.