Recommendation 61

Charlie Loudon was measured in characterising other countries as more or less successful than the UK and noted that while that might appear to be an accurate assessment, “There is a lack of authoritative publicly available data on the different success rates”.140 Other witnesses were similarly sceptical that the US or Australia should be unequivocally characterised as ‘more successful’ than the UK. Dr Vakil noted that the US had been successful at negotiating the release of US nationals, but not dual nationals, and that Australia still had unresolved cases.141 Dr Van Engeland similarly emphasised that “there are still Australian, US and French citizens detained” but nonetheless described it as “striking” that the UK had recently seen several of its citizens and dual nationals detained.142