A group of campaigners whose family members have been detained by foreign states have called for more government support, including a special envoy to help while loved ones are in custody.
The husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, the brother of Jagtar Singh Johal and the son of Craig and Lindsay Foreman spoke of their experiences of advocating for their loved ones to return, describing their communications with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) as slow, confusing, and at times ineffective.
Joe Bennett, whose mother, Lindsay Foreman, is detained with her husband Craig in Iran on espionage charges, said initial guidance from the UK government was not to talk to other affected families, but said he ignored the advice and reached out to Richard Ratcliffe – the husband of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe who had been detained for six years in Iran.
“You’re completely alienated at the beginning,” he told Sky News, speaking at a conference in London run by APPG, which focuses on the arbitrary detention of British citizens abroad.
“To have the support of the others gives you a sense that you’re not alone in this.
“For the FCDO to say ‘don’t speak to them’, it can put your parents at risk, made no sense to me.
“It was kind of scare tactics. This is how they tend to try and deal with things – it’s all hush, hush, keep it quiet, don’t say anything.”
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Mr Bennett said he feels he needs to be shouting about the Foremans’ plight, especially after finding out yesterday that his mother is on hunger strike.
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“You could tell she was really down,” he said, describing the phone call with Lindsay Foreman.
“Her voice was cracking and then she got into tears. The hunger strike is because there’s been so many promises made to her and her husband Craig that haven’t been fulfilled, like being able to see each other once a week.”
An emotional Mr Bennett told Sky News he told his mother to “listen to your body” and not put herself at risk as he criticised the UK government’s lack of action outside of welfare and consular assistance.
“It’s these broken promises on both sides,” he said before revealing he is considering asking a third country for help, “because of the lack of action from the Foreign Office”.
“There’s been a lot of success stories with the Qataris and Oman are seen as a mediator for the UK. For me it’s about exploring all options, and that’s the other thing that annoys me, that I’m having to do that contact and outreach. The government should be exploring those options.”
Gurpreet Singh Johal, whose brother, Jagtar, has been detained in India for eight years, said he feels as if he is up against both the Indian and British governments.
Jagtar, a Sikh activist, claims to have been tortured.
“I thought the British government would help us,” Gurpreet said.
“I didn’t realise I’d be up against the Indian government and the UK government.
“Right now, I don’t even know if the (UK) government is on my side in terms of bringing Jagtar back.”
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Jagtar Johal, 38, was arrested in Punjab shortly after his wedding in 2017.
He was acquitted earlier this year in a case in which he was accused of financially supporting a terror group, but he still faces federal charges from the Indian authorities.
Richard Ratcliffe described the problem as one of waiting, speaking about the nine years since his wife, Nazanin, was arrested in Iran on espionage charges.
“It is not the people, but the policy,” he said, adding legislation is needed to put in a policy framework.
Sky News has approached the FCDO for comment.
