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.

British nationals imprisoned in Poland (information pack)

We prepared a guide in pdf format aims to explain the Polish legal and prison system to British nationals who are imprisoned in Poland. You will find there information on:

• Who will know that I have been detained?
  
• Money for prison comforts
  
• What the Consul can /cannot do for you
  
• Can I be transferred to the UK to serve my sentence there?
  
• Polish Judicial System
  
• Help while you are in prison (other sources)
  
• Note on bail/parole