British nationals in detention or prison overseas

If a relative or friend has been detained or held in prison overseas, this is the support we can give.

If your relative or friend has asked us to, we will tell you as soon as we can, that they have been detained or held in prison. However, to protect their confidentiality, we will not provide any details of the detention or arrest, or tell you how to contact them, unless they have given us permission.

Prison conditions

We can provide general information about the country involved, prison conditions and the local legal system.

We can put you in touch with the prisoners’ welfare charity, Prisoners Abroad.

If the prison where your friend or relative is being detained agrees, we can pass on any money you want to send to buy prison ‘comforts’, use the phone and so on.

In many countries, mail sent or received by the prisoner will be opened and read by the authorities, and phone conversations may be monitored.

Our staff in Singapore are there to support arrested British nationals. We aim to be sensitive and non-judgemental. We treat all prisoners the same regardless of what crime they are being held for.

We'll contact the detained person within twenty four hours of being told of their arrest and if they want, we'll visit them as soon as we can.

What we can do to help:

• provide general information about the relevant country, prison conditions and the local legal system, including whether local legal aid is available
• provide a list of lawyers and interpreters make sure any medical or dental problems are brought to the attention of the police or prison doctor
• take up any justified complaints about ill treatment, personal safety or discrimination with the police of prison authorities
• send money to prisoners from their families and also help British prisoners buy prison ‘comforts’ with money sent by their family and friends
• we can also send messages between prisoners and their families
• put prisoners in touch with the prisoners’ welfare charity, Prisoners Abroad
• if it is possible, provide information on how British prisoners may apply for transfers to a UK prisons.

We'll consider approaching the local authorities if we feel that a British national is not being treated in line with internationally-accepted standards regarding fair trials and prisoners’ rights.  

But we can't:

• get a British national out of prison or detention, or get them special attention because they are British
• offer legal advice, start legal proceedings or investigate a crime
• pay for any costs incurred as a result of being arrested
• forward prisoners parcels sent by family and friends
• prevent the local authorities from deporting a British national upon release.

Dual Nationals

Please be aware that we cannot always formally assist dual nationals if they are arrested in the country of their other nationality, unless they are facing the death penalty. Scope to help may be limited because of the laws of that country. We will however, aim to provide protection for all British passport holders who normally live in the UK.

Help if you are arrested or detained