Responding to the airing of last night’s drama ‘Prisoner 951’ on BBC One, Felix Jakens, Amnesty International UK’s Head of Campaigns, said:

“The BBC’s ‘Prisoner 951’ is a captivating drama about the traumatic journey that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori - as well as their families - endured over the course of many years, but it’s important to reiterate that this saga was based on real life and continues to be a reality for many British nationals unjustly imprisoned overseas.

“The screenplay underscores how the UK government did - and continues to do - nowhere near enough to help secure the release of Britons arbitrarily detained abroad, dragging its heels when asked to stand up for its citizens when wrongfully imprisoned in Iran and beyond.

“We’re seeing similar stories play out right now. Like with British National Ahmed Al-Doush, a father of four from Manchester, who is currently languishing in a Saudi jail after being arrested while on holiday for serious charges based on exercising his fundamental right to free expression, including for social media posts.

“The UK government has repeatedly failed to advocate for Ahmed, not taking a position on his case despite being provided with information indicating that Ahmed’s rights under international law are being violated, and that his detention is a freedom of expression case.

“The UK government must urgently design a strategy that is fit for purpose for those unlucky enough to be locked up for no good reason while abroad. Failing to do this is a clear betrayal of the UK and its people.”

The UK Government: A lesson in diplomatic disappointment

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and Anoosheh Ashoori were released in 2022 after tireless campaigning from both of their families and the support of human rights organisations including Amnesty International.

During their long imprisonments, the UK government repeatedly failed to secure their release. Sadly, the Government continues to fail to protect British nationals arbitrarily detained abroad.

For years it has been clear that countries including Iran are ramping up a cynical policy of jailing British nationals with the clear intention of using them as diplomatic pawns. UK officials repeatedly fail to work closely with the affected families, fail to insist on attending trial hearings or on visiting UK nationals in detention.

Amnesty International is urging the UK government to develop a clear and consistent approach to the unjust imprisonment of British people overseas, including a new strategy that should include, as a minimum:

• the Government calling for an arbitrarily-detained person’s immediate release (including publicly where requested by the family);
• pressing for access to a lawyer, a fair trial and medical care where relevant;
• demanding consular access;
• insisting that UK officials be able to attend trials;
• regularly meeting with family members to outline the Government’s overall approach in the case.

Ahmed al-Doush

The UK government’s failures on this issue continue today. British nationals, including Ahmed al-Doush, are not receiving the level of diplomatic support required to secure their release.

Ahmed was arrested whilst on a family holiday in Saudi Arabia in 2024 for social media posts. The Manchester-based father of four was convicted under terrorism legislation and sentenced to 10 years in prison, later reduced to eight.

Since his arrest, the Saudi authorities have refused to hand over court documents or information relating to Ahmed’s case. Ahmed has faced multiple violations of his right to a fair trial, his family’s contact with him has been severely restricted and he has faced repeated ‘punishment’ for attempting to communicate about his case and conditions. 

The UK government has failed to advocate for Ahmed, not taking a position on his case despite being provided with information indicating his rights under international law are being violated and that his detention is a freedom of expression case. Amnesty International continues to campaign so that Ahmed can be reunited with his family and urges the UK government to advocate for Ahmed’s release if he is being held solely for exercising his right to free expression.

Prisoner 951

“Prisoner 951” is a BBC One drama based on the extraordinary true story of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian citizen who was imprisoned by the Iranian government for six years, and her husband Richard Ratcliffe who campaigned for justice and her return.