Select committee: Foreign Affairs Committee
Conclusion 23
Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy
Published 4 Apr 2023
Paragraph 68
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 UK Government is judged on how it cares for its citizens at home and overseas. In Iran, the Government failed to assert and secure its rights under the Vienna Convention to provide consular assistance to UK nationals held in Iran. Moreover, the FCDO has been inconsistent in meeting its own commitments to supporting those arrested abroad. This failing, whilst not universal, is not confined to prisoners in Iran. If the recommendations in this report, and those of the MacGregor review, are implemented effectively, it should not be necessary to establish consular assistance as a legal right. However, if the situation does not improve, a legislative solution may be needed.
From: Foreign Affairs Committee, Sixth Report - Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy (HC 166), paragraph 68, 4 April 2023
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 6 July 2023 (deadline 4 June 2023).