British Nationals in detention or prison overseas

If a relative or friend has been detained or held in prison overseas, this is the support we can give.

• If your relative or friend has asked us to, we will tell you as soon as we can that they have been detained or held in prison. However, to protect their confidentiality, we will not provide any details of the detention or arrest, or tell you how to contact them, unless they have given us permission
• We can provide general information about the country involved, prison conditions and the local legal system.
• We can put you in touch with the prisoners’ welfare charity, Prisoners Abroad (www.prisonersabroad.org.uk).
• If the prison where your friend or relative is being detained agrees, we can pass on any money you want to send to buy prison ‘comforts’, use the phone and so on.
• In many countries, mail sent or received by the prisoner will be opened and read by the authorities, and phone conversations may be monitored.

What happens if you are detained in Ecuador

• As soon as a British citizen is arrested and detained in Ecuador, the Ecuadorian authorities must let the detainee contact the British Embassy in Quito or one of our Honorary Consulates. But we are frequently not informed within 24 hours.  It is essential that you inform the British Embassy or Consulate as soon as possible after your arrest. It is your right to do so. You may also be able to make a phone call to the Embassy or to family (sometimes with a covering charge). We aim to make contact with you within 24 hours of being notified of your arrest.
• The British Consulate can provide a list of lawyers, but neither Her Majesty’s Government, nor any official of the Consulate, take any responsibility for the competence or probity of any firm/advocate on the list or for the consequences of any legal action initiated or advice given.
• The Consulate has available a Prisoners Pack, which will also be provided on the first visit to the detainee by a Consular officer.
• We cannot get you out of prison, pay fines or stand bail or interfere in local judicial procedures to get you out of prison nor secure you an earlier trial date; we cannot investigate a crime.
  
  British Embassy Quito
  Consular Section
  Avenida Naciones Unidas y Republica de El Salvador.
  Edificio Citiplaza, Piso 12.
  Quito

Tel: 02 2970 800/801
Fax: 02 2870 807
Email: consuio@uio.satnet.net
24-hours emergency number:  092-029-944

Working Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 08h00 – 12h00 / 14h00 – 15h30
Friday: 08h00 – 12h00

Honorary Consulate Guayaquil
c/o Agripac
General Cordova 623 y Padre Solano (Casilla 8598)
Guayaquil
Tel:  04 2560 400 ext. 318
Fax: 02 2562 641

Honorary Consulate Galapagos Islands
c/o ETICA
Barrio Estrada,
Puerto Ayora
Isla Santa Cruz
Galapagos
Tel:  05 2526 159
Fax: 05 2526 599