Website of the UK government
Please note that this website has a UK government accesskeys system.
Main menu
Page menu
Travel and transport
Arrest and prison abroad
If a British national is arrested or detained overseas, the local British Consul will try to help. The Consul cannot get the person out of jail, but will take action if their rights have been denied or abused.
If you are arrested
You should contact the British Consul and give them as much information as possible about your situation. For example, you should try to provide the full postal address of the prison, details of any legal representative and information about the authorities responsible for the court proceedings.
In the event of an arrest or a detention, it is important to:
- try to keep calm and be co-operative
- not be abusive or violent, as this will make things worse
- insist that the British Consul is told of the detention - this is your right as a British national
- tell relatives or friends to contact the local British Consul or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London by telephoning +44 (0) 207 008 1500
You may also wish to contact Prisoners Abroad, a charity for Britons detained overseas and their families.
In this section...
Additional links
Access keys
