This blog was authored by Jonas Helyar, Director of Advocacy at the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign.
Earlier this month, the British public went to the polls and delivered a clear verdict. After 14 years of Conservative governance, a Labour Government has been voted in with a landslide majority. Now commanding a sizeable working majority in the House of Commons, the Labour party now stands poised to implement substantial changes across the country and project a stronger Britain on the global stage.
This election result opens up new possibilities for much needed changes in the Government’s approach to instances of state hostage taking and arbitrary detention. At the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, we're especially keen to see a fundamental shift in how the UK addresses this growing issue.
Previous government’s approaches to state hostage taking are outdated and ineffective, often leaving British citizens detained by dictatorships without the support that they so desperately need. With a new government in place, there is a unique opportunity to advocate for a more proactive and compassionate strategy that prioritizes the safe return of political prisoners.
This is something that we at the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign have been advocating for ever since the arrest of Vladimir Kara-Murza by the Putin regime in 2022.
Labour has previously committed to altering the Government’s approach to this, with the then Shadow Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, outlining that the Labour Party would introduce an Special Envoy for Hostages. However, this commitment was not present in the Labour Party manifesto. As such, we cannot be complacent. To continue to push for this important change, the Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, alongside the International Bar Association Human Rights Institute, are working to set up a new All-Party-Parliamentary-Group (APPG) focused on Hostage Affairs. This APPG will highlight the plight of political prisoners around the world including Vladimir Kara-Mura, Jimmy Lai, Ryan Cornelius, Ala Abdel Fattah and many more and will help to coordinate consistent parliamentary attention of their important cases.
Currently Parliamentary advocacy for political prisoners is sparse. An MP might raise a case during PMQs or Foreign Office Questions, only to receive a formulaic response about consular access and vague assurances of safety. These platitudes rarely translate into meaningful action or tangible improvements for the detainees. The APPG will aim to make a crucial difference by coordinating consistent parliamentary advocacy and scrutinizing the Government’s approach to these issues with the ambition to bring about real change for those who need it most.
One area that I hope the APPG will drive forward, is the argument put forward by the Foreign Affairs Committee, to introduce a new position in the Foreign Office to specifically deal with complex and arbitrary detention, similar to the Office of Hostage Affairs in the US State Department.
The Global Magnitsky Justice Campaign, as well as many others believe that the UK should take inspiration from the United States' proactive stance on state hostage taking. Last year, I helped to facilitate a session in Parliament with US Ambassador for Hostage Affairs, Roger Carstens, whose job is to secure the release of arbitrarily detained US citizens around the world. In the session his message was clear and compelling: the most effective way to protect citizens from being used as political pawns is to secure their release.
Critics argue that negotiating hostage swaps might encourage dictators to take more hostages. However, Ambassador Carstens presented a counterargument to this, stating that since his office began securing the release of arbitrarily detained US citizens, the caseload has actually decreased.
This is precisely what MPs should be pushing for – a change in the Government’s approach to state hostage taking.
By platforming cases around the world, the APPG will play a crucial role in shaping the UK's approach to this complex issue. By bringing together parliamentarians and experts, this group will shine a spotlight on forgotten cases, challenge ineffective policies, and push for a more proactive strategy inspired by successful models like the US Office of Hostage Affairs.
With sustained parliamentary attention and a commitment to change, we can hope to see fewer British citizens used as political pawns and more families reunited. The message is clear: it's time for the UK to step up and lead in the fight against state hostage-taking.
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