2,200 Brits Held In Foreign Jails

More than 2,000 British expats and holidaymakers are held in foreign jails – including 13 awaiting the death sentence, according to new official data.

In response to a freedom of information request, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has issued a country-by-country list of how many Brits are in prison.

The list includes convicted prisoners as well as those awaiting trial.

The total adds up to 2,205 British prisoners.

The Foreign Office also revealed 13 prisoners are facing execution in the USA, Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Egypt, Indonesia, Kenya and Ghana.

“The British government is against the death penalty and we are doing all we can to stop the execution of any British national anywhere in the world,” said a spokesman.

Drugs and child sex offenders

The Foreign office declined to discuss individual cases or identify those on death row.

The spokesman also disclosed that 887 Britons were held in jails around the world for drug offences – which is 40% of the total number of prisoners held.

The other main categories were child sex offenders (154) and immigration offences (102).

The top five countries holding British prisoners are the USA (540), Spain (247), Ireland (222), Australia (144) and France (104).

“We would warn any expats or travellers from the UK to make sure that they understand and obey the laws of any countries they visit, even if they are only passing through,” said the spokesman.

“Behaviour which is acceptable at home may cause serious offence in another country.”

Britons in foreign jails

Source: Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Note: Countries holding five or less British prisoners are excluded from the table

Download entire table