Select committee: Foreign Affairs Committee
Conclusion 1
Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy
Published 4 Apr 2023
Paragraph 13
Addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Foreign Affairs Committee The FCDO’s approach to state level hostage situations All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The limited data available indicates that state hostage taking is an increasing problem globally. Arbitrary detention is also a growing phenomenon, increasing the likelihood of citizens in this position becoming pawns in state-to-state relations. All arbitrary detentions are illegal and unacceptable. The UK Government should be working toward their immediate resolution. Given that states rarely make explicit their demands for release, or intended area of leverage, this zero-tolerance approach is all the more important.
From: Foreign Affairs Committee, Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy (HC 166), paragraph 13, 4 April 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 6 July 2023 (deadline 4 June 2023).