UK Appointment of Complex Consular Detentions Envoy Offers Opportunity to Transform Response to State Hostage-Taking
REDRESS welcomes the UK Government’s appointment of Alistair Burt as the newly created Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions as a necessary step towards strengthening the UK’s response to the growing challenge of State hostage-taking.
The appointment follows years of advocacy by REDRESS and other civil society organisations, alongside survivors and families, calling for a dedicated role to improve how these cases are addressed. It also reflects growing calls from parliamentarians and UN human rights experts, as well as international recognition of the need for specialised approaches, following similar appointments in Canada and the United States.
REDRESS is encouraged that the terms of reference give the Envoy the authority to drive cross-government action, report directly to a Cabinet minister, represent the UK internationally, and work closely with families and other stakeholders. These are all features that REDRESS has long advocated for as essential to ensuring a coordinated and effective response to cases of complex consular detention, including State hostage-taking.
High-profile cases such as those of our clients Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who was imprisoned in Iran for six years for diplomatic leverage, and Jagtar Singh Johal, detained arbitrarily in India since 2017, show the human cost of the lack of a strong UK strategy on arbitrary detention and State hostage-taking.
At the same time, REDRESS remains concerned that the Envoy will be based within the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), whose approach to State hostage-taking has been the subject of serious criticism from survivors and their families, who have complained about having often been left unsupported and uninformed. REDRESS is also concerned that no information has yet been released about the budget and other resources that will be allocated to support the Envoy’s mandate.
REDRESS looks forward to engaging constructively with Mr Burt and his team in the coming months to address these issues and ensure that the role can deliver meaningful improvements for those affected.
State hostage-taking—the arbitrary detention of foreign nationals for diplomatic leverage—is an inhumane practice which almost always involves torture, as highlighted by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture in her report on the practice. British nationals are among the most affected, facing higher risks of prolonged detention or death in custody. REDRESS’s research indicates that at least nine British nationals currently being detained abroad are being held arbitrarily, according to UN human rights experts.
“We welcome the appointment of the Envoy for Complex Consular Detentions, which reflects a growing recognition of the gravity of State hostage-taking and the need to address the specific needs of victims and their families. It’s an important step towards strengthening the UK’s response to these cases,” said Rupert Skilbeck, Director of REDRESS. “However, the success of this role will depend on the resources and authority it is given. With the right support, the Envoy has a genuine opportunity to improve outcomes for those arbitrarily detained abroad, alleviate the suffering of survivors and their families, help prevent future abuses, and strengthen international efforts to deter this practice.”
The UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture have highlighted in recent years the need for effective government responses to complex and arbitrary detention cases to help prevent serious human rights violations. Experience from other countries show the importance of equipping these roles with adequate authority and resources. In the US, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs is supported by a dedicated secretariat, a budget of $6.6 million, and formal inter-agency coordination mechanisms, which have helped secure the release of over 120 hostages. Canada has similarly appointed a Senior Official for Hostage Affairs and played a leading role internationally through the Declaration Against Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations.
For some of REDRESS’s publications on this issue, see:
For more information, please contact: Eva Sanchis, Head of Communications at [email protected]; +44 (0) 7793 1777, or +44 (0)7857 110076.
Photo: Jagtar Singh Johal has been arbitrarily detained in India since 2017 ( © Free Jaggi Now Campaign).