The new BBC drama Prisoner 951 retells the story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian citizen who was detained and imprisoned by Iran for six years, and her husband Richard, who tirelessly campaigned for her release. Alongside it on another broadcast, the BBC documentary The Hostages’ Story details the experiences of Nazanin, Anoosheh Ashoori and others. 

Through these programmes we see the bravery and strength that Nazanin [and others] showed throughout this ordeal, including the unimaginable separation from her daughter, and it also conveys how difficult it was for her family to communicate with her or know much about her detention.

The drama and the documentary both highlight the challenges for British consular staff visiting Nazanin in prison, attending key legal hearings as observers, and the uncertainty about her case. The drama depicts the emotional strain that this situation had and what people can feel when they believe they have been forgotten.

Based on decades of experience, Prisoners Abroad believes there should be a legal right to consular assistance. For British citizens detained overseas, consular assistance is absolutely vital to safeguarding their welfare and human rights. The work of Prisoners Abroad in supporting British people in prison overseas relies on the successful partnership with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); we deliver our grants and practical support via their consular network around the world.

Below are some testimony excerpts from people we are supporting in prison.

Someone in prison in Japan:

Honestly, I think I would have lost it if it weren’t for one thing: three books the Embassy gave me from your charity. I read those books over and over. They were the only contact I had with the outside world, the only words in a language I recognised, the only source of comfort in a man-made hell.

Someone in prison in Indonesia:

The first few weeks of my ordeal were some of the longest, hardest, scariest days of my life and would have been a lot harder were it not for the help of you guys and the British Embassy. My family and I are hugely grateful for all your support and the support which you will provide in the future.

However, there is currently no legal right to consular assistance for British people detained overseas. Despite consular assistance being provided to the overwhelming majority of people that request it, as it stands, provision of consular assistance is discretionary, meaning it is subject to changes to government priorities, resources, political will and the complex relationships between the UK and other countries. Prisoners Abroad is working with over 1,100 people in prison right now, and we see every day how crucial consular support can be.

The Labour government made a promise in September 2024 to introduce a new right to consular assistance for British nationals detained abroad. This promise was made in the Labour Party’s manifesto, stating: "Labour will also strengthen support for British nationals abroad. We will introduce a new right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations." 

This has been welcomed by various organisations and families affected by such cases, and following the BBC documentary, a government statement said "The Government is committed to strengthening our support for British national detained in complex circumstances overseas, including through the appointment of an envoy and a new right for British nationals to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations."

We are looking forward to the UK government engaging with us and other key stakeholders on this policy commitment as they develop their plans and timeline for making this commitment a reality. The people we have supported in prison overseas speak of the importance of consular assistance in highlighting their situation and upholding their welfare and rights.

Last year, we looked at data that compared the number of people registered with Prisoners Abroad in prison outside the UK, to the number of British citizens reported as being detained and receiving consular assistance from the FCDO. Prisoners Abroad are broadly reaching two-thirds of people receiving consular assistance and our aim is to increase that percentage so that every British person in prison abroad is aware of our support and is able to access it.

We understand how vital our work is in safeguarding and sustaining the lives of British citizens imprisoned overseas—a critical service that no other charity provides. For our work to have as much impact as possible, it’s crucial that consular assistance is offered to all British citizens in prison abroad.