The households of Britons detained overseas have accused the UK authorities of “lacking compassion” and “ignoring” them as they referred to as on ministers to do extra to launch their family members.
A gaggle gathered in Westminster on Tuesday to share their tales, whereas others – such because the daughter of imprisoned geologist Jim Fitton – joined with video messages.
All had been calling for Liz Truss, the international secretary, to intervene to set their family members detained in numerous international locations overseas free.
The sister of Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a British father imprisoned in Egypt, advised how her brother was struggling as he continued his starvation strike in jail over his situations.
“My brother is slowly dying in his prison cell but he wants to live. He misses life, he misses his job, he misses his son, and us,” she mentioned.
Mr Abdel-Fattah, a blogger, human rights activist and main determine within the 2011 Arab spring rebellion, has spent a lot of the previous decade behind bars in Egypt.
Alaa Abdel Fattah was a key determine within the 2011 Arab spring rebellion
(AFP through Getty Images)
He is at the moment greater than three years right into a sentence that centres round him sharing a weblog publish crucial of jail situations.
His sister, Sanaa Seif, advised a press convention the household wished Ms Truss to take a better curiosity within the twin nationwide’s case.
“We are deeply puzzled by the way we have been treated by the foreign secretary, Liz Truss,” she mentioned.
“Why hasn’t she met with us until now? Why hasn’t she made an official statement about Alaa?”
Alaa Abdel Fattah has spent a lot of the final decade in jail in Egypt
(AFP through Getty Images)
Ms Seif added: “I can tell you it hurts. Her ignoring us, really.”
Her sentiment was echoed by different pals and households of detained Britons, together with that of Mr Fitton, a 66-year-old British father-of-two sentenced to fifteen years in jail in Iraq earlier this month.
The retired geologist has been accused of trying to smuggling artefacts out of Iraq. His household preserve Mr Fitton was unaware he was committing any crime or that the objects – shards of damaged pottery and stones – had any worth.
Jim Fitton has been handed a 15-year sentence in Iraq
(AP)
“We have been frustrated being our wildest imagination by the complete lack of compassion displayed by junion ministers in our case and the complete lack of engagement by the foreign secretary herself,” his son-in-law, Sam Tasker, mentioned in a video message.
“The foreign secretary has – to our knowledge – never even acknowledged Jim’s existence.”
Friends of Peter Jouvenal, a former BBC journalist being held by the Taliban in Afghanistan, had been additionally amongst these on the assembly at Portcullis House on Tuesday.
Peter Jouvenal (proper) is being held in jail in Afghanistan (Peter Jouvenal/PA)
(PA)
One of them, Rich Parry, mentioned that they had “very grave misgivings about the Foreign Office and what they are doing”.
“We have misgivings about the person who assigned to deal with Peter and negotiate with the Taliban, we think he is not really qualified, doesn’t know Afghanistan,” he mentioned.
No fees have but been introduced towards father-of-three Mr Jouvenal, who Mr Parry mentioned has had simply two telephone calls along with his spouse within the six months since his arrest.
Meanwhile the brother of Jagtar Singh Johal – a Scottish man who has been vocal about historic abuses towards India’s Sikh inhabitants – criticised a scarcity of transparency from the Foreign Office.
Mr Singh Johal has been in an Indian jail – the place he’s believed to have suffered torture – after being arrested weeks after his wedding ceremony within the nation.
Jagtar Singh Johal is at the moment in jail in India (Family/PA)
(PA Media)
His brother, Gurpreet Singh, mentioned they’re by no means actually certain what the federal government is doing to try to safe his launch.
“While they say they are raising the case, they don’t actually tell us exactly what they are doing,” he mentioned through video message.
Mr Singh mentioned he was being supported by households who’ve gone by way of related conditions, reminiscent of Richard Ratcliffe, whose spouse Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was launched earlier this 12 months after years in an Iranian jail.
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was launched from Iranian detention earlier this 12 months
(Free Nazanin marketing campaign/AFP through Getty Images)
Mr Jouvenal’s buddy, Mr Parry, mentioned he was additionally in every day contact with Mr Ratcliffe, who was on the occasion and urged the UK authorities to take torture “more seriously”.
The households, together with shadow international secretary David Lammy and Liberal Democrat Layla Moran, are urging MPs to contact Ms Truss and Boris Johnson to induce them to make a extra strong intervention within the instances.
An FCDO spokesperson mentioned: “We continue to provide consular assistance to British Nationals detained abroad. The action we take in a consular case is tailored to the individual situation and what we judge to be most effective.”
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Source: countryask.com
