LETTER: Consular help for Britons in jail abroad
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.From Dr Roger Matthews Sir: It is a little disconcerting when the Under Secretary of State at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's response to Heather Mills's article ("Britons' plight in foreign jails", 12 December) is so negative and dismissive (letter,15 December). As Steph en Jacobi's and Carol Green's letters (14 and 15 December) clearly demonstrate, there are serious questions about the level and quality of services provided for British prisoners abroad which need addressing urgently.
My report, which was based on information supplied by 41 consular departments throughout Western Europe and Scandinavia, can hardly be accused of being "inaccurate". The report found that the services available are uneven and that British prisoners abroad suffer from a number of disadvantages arising from their alien status. A similar conclusion was reached in the National Audit Office report on consular services which was published in 1992. Interestingly, it was in relation to the treatment of prisoners abroad that the National Audit Office was most critical of the consular departments. They were particularly unhappy about the lack of guidelines given by consular staff and to the inaccuracies and inconsistencies of prisoner returns.
My report consciously avoids sensationalism. And it does not dwell on examples of individual incompetence and neglect. Instead, it attempts to examine the organisational and structural problems in providing a decent service for those who are imprisoned abroad. Many of these people are suffering from a combination of legal, financial and medical problems which could with a little bit of imagination and effort be ameliorated.
Yours faithfully, ROGER MATTHEWS Centre for Criminology Middlesex University Enfield, Middlesex 16 December
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments