Prisoners Abroad

Who we are

About Prisoners Abroad

Prisoners Abroad is a UK-based charity that protects the human rights and welfare of British citizens detained overseas and supports their families and loved ones. We are the only organisation of our kind in the UK, offering life-saving, non-judgemental support to people facing some of the most isolating and traumatic experiences imaginable.

What We Do

We work across three core areas:

1. Support for people in prison overseas

We provide practical and emotional support to British citizens imprisoned in over 100 countries, many of whom face inhumane conditions, language barriers, and extreme isolation.

Our services include:

- Emergency survival grants

- Access to clean water, food, and vital medication

- Mental health and emotional support

- Information on legal and prison systems

- Human rights advocacy and welfare monitoring

- Newsletters, reading materials, and birthday cards to maintain connection and dignity

2. Support for families in the UK

When someone is imprisoned abroad, their family often faces enormous emotional, financial and logistical challenges.

We offer:

- One-to-one support from trained caseworkers

- Family support groups across the UK

- Advice on navigating foreign legal systems

- Advocacy and emotional support during court cases and appeals

- Guidance on travel, communication, and prison visits

3. Resettlement for people returning to the UK

Returning to the UK after imprisonment abroad can be daunting and isolating. We help people to rebuild their lives by offering:

- Specialist resettlement casework and one-to-one support

- Housing assistance and emergency accommodation

- Signposting to healthcare, benefits, and ID documents

- Mental health and trauma support

- Skills-building, volunteering and confidence-boosting opportunities

Our culture and values

Our Approach

Prisoners Abroad works with compassion, discretion, and without judgment. We believe in upholding the dignity and human rights of all people, regardless of the circumstances that led to their imprisonment. Our holistic and person-centred support helps people survive, recover, and rebuild.

Our core beliefs:

- Every person deserves dignity, no matter their circumstances.
We treat everyone with humanity and respect - whether they are imprisoned, returning home after release, or supporting a family member from afar.

- Support should be non-judgemental and accessible to all.
We never ask why someone is in prison. We focus on what they need to survive, cope, and rebuild.

- Family and community connections are essential to survival and rehabilitation.
Maintaining contact with family is critical to mental health and future reintegration - we do all we can to preserve and strengthen these ties.

- Health and human rights are universal.
No one should suffer inhumane conditions, inadequate medical care, or prolonged isolation. We defend the rights and welfare of British citizens wherever they are detained.

- Everyone has the potential to rebuild their life.
We believe in second chances and provide support that enables people to recover and move forward with purpose and hope.

Our working practices:

- Trauma-informed and person-centred approach
We understand the impact of imprisonment and separation. Our services are built on listening, empathy, and empowerment.

- Specialist, practical support
Our trained caseworkers provide expert advice and help people navigate complex foreign justice systems, access basic needs, and plan for the future.

- Collaboration with families, professionals, and partners
We work closely with families, lawyers, prisons, consular staff and other agencies to deliver coordinated and effective support.

- Evidence-led and responsive to need
We evolve our services based on direct feedback from those who use them. We are committed to learning and continuous improvement.

- Advocacy and awareness-raising
We speak out on behalf of people whose voices are rarely heard, using our experience and evidence to inform policy, challenge stigma, and influence change.

- Accountability and integrity
We are open and transparent about our work. We are committed to responsible governance, sound financial management, and putting service users at the heart of everything we do.

Our working culture is respectful and open where everyone's opinion counts. We're quick decision makers when we have to be, we encourage curiosity and learning, and we love creative ideas.

Equality, diversity and inclusion policy

Equity, diversity and inclusion

Prisoners Abroad is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), supporting a fairer society through our work. The people we support are diverse individuals, and so are we.

We understand EDI through the lens and context in which Prisoners Abroad is operating. As a charity that supports people in and affected by criminal justice systems around the world, it is important to recognise that the system itself disproportionately impacts people from the global majority, given the overrepresentation of the global majority in London, UK prisons and in criminal justice systems worldwide. Global majority is a collective term that refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and who have been racialised as 'ethnic minorities'. Globally, these groups currently represent approximately eighty per cent (80%) of the world's population.

For Prisoners Abroad, that means we have a particular focus on increasing the proportion of our people that are from the global majority, as well as those who have lived experience of the criminal justice system and overseas imprisonment.

When we advertise roles at the charity, we ask applicants to complete an equalities and diversity monitoring form. The form is anonymous and does not request a name. We use this data to conduct an annual analysis of people who have applied for roles at the charity.

Lived experience of the criminal justice system / Applicants with a criminal record

We believe it is important to ensure that we are reflective of the people that we serve. As well as protected characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, disability, age and sexual orientation, we consider lived experience of the criminal justice system and overseas imprisonment as part of our approach and commitment to EDI, and given we support people with lived experience of the criminal justice system, we believe this should be reflected in our workforce too.

We welcome applications from people with lived experience of the criminal justice system. In line with the Ban the Box campaign, we do not require applicants to disclose their criminal record at the application stage. For most roles, we will ask about unspent convictions, although some roles will require a higher level of disclosure and an enhanced criminal record check. The job description will explain what information will be required.

To ensure we encourage applications from people with lived experience and shortlist applications purely on merit, we will only ask for criminal record information at the job offer stage, after which we will consider the relevance to the job role and make an assessment that includes considering any adjustments that can be made.