Lib Dem members bill would guarantee support for Brits falsely imprisoned abroad

On Friday, Liberal Democrat Scottish Affairs spokesperson and MP for Edinburgh West Christine Jardine will get a second reading for her private member’s bill which would provide a legal right for consular assistance to support those who have been victims of human rights abuses and false detention.

The bill makes provision for a right to consular assistance for British citizens abroad in cases where there has been, or where there is a risk of, a breach of human rights, denial of access to legal representation, or torture or other human rights abuses.

The provision of consular support by the UK Government is currently discretionary and decided on a case-by-case basis.

The bill has been developed alongside the human rights groups Redress, British Rights Abroad Group, Hostage International and Prisoners Abroad, as well Richard Ratcliffe, whose wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was imprisoned in Iran for more than five years.

Ms Jardine said:

“I was shocked when I first heard that British citizens who are locked up abroad on false charges do not automatically receive support from our foreign consulates or the UK Government.

“It takes the brave and persistent work of people like Richard Ratcliffe and the family of imprisoned Scot Jagtar Singh Johal to get these cases on the government’s agenda.

“A legal right to consular assistance would help British nationals who find themselves in dire circumstances while traveling abroad and provide a much clearer route to accountability when things do go wrong.

“I am delighted by the amount of interest and support that MPs across parties have shown for this bill and I hope that we can swiftly move this important legislation forward.”

Richard Ratcliffe said:

“The government moved very sluggishly in Nazanin’s case.

“No British officials came to any of her trials. She wasn’t visited by an Embassy official for 5 years, until after she had completed her first sentence. They never made it to visit her in prison.

“It felt like they didn’t want to upset Iran.”

“The system, as it is now, is just unfair. If you make noise, you get attention, you can get protected from torture and other abuses. But if you are unable to get Ministers’ attention, you can be left to a different fate.”

“Petitions and hungers strikes shouldn’t be necessary to beg a government to do the right thing and look after their nationals both at home and abroad. There should be a framework for all British citizens.”

Chris Esdaile, Senior Legal Advisor for Redress said:

"Introducing a legal right to consular assistance would not only benefit British nationals who find themselves in dire circumstances while traveling abroad.

"It would benefit the British State by offering a structured approach for protection of its nationals, and represent a real opportunity for the UK to show leadership and reinforce its standing on the world stage."