You get arrested abroad... the nightmare begins. You are locked up in a dirty cell awaiting questioning... the nightmare continues. Police officials are interrogating you in a language you don't understand... the nightmare worsens.

Getting arrested abroad, whether you are guilty or innocent, can be a terrifying experience. Local cultures can be very different, and what may be legal or culturally acceptable in the UK may be illegal in other countries and carry with it a harsh sentence. Most of all, the fear invoked by not understanding what is happening or knowing what the implications are of being locked up abroad could make this experience your worst nightmare.

Taking on board some of the advice and information outlined in this section could help you survive a potential nightmare.

Committing the crime

People can get arrested abroad for a multitude of reasons. Travellers, in particular, are vulnerable either wittingly or unwittingly to arrest, and offences can include expired visas, photographing military buildings and breaking local laws such as purchasing alcohol without a licence or drinking alcohol in a public place. The list of potential offences is vast. However, many travellers who get arrested and subsequently receive a prison sentence do so because of drugs. No matter how trivial or serious the drug offence, of which there are many, sentences are likely to be severe, and in some countries could even mean the death penalty.

Police officials will not normally care whether you claim to be innocent or not; just being in a room or vehicle where there is a stash of drugs or someone who is carrying drugs can land you in prison. Even if you did not know about the drugs, you could find yourself arrested and detained. Also, be aware of the consequences of transporting drugs across country borders, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Be wary of the person who befriends you and gives you a sob story about their sick uncle, who was unable to make it to their wedding. Coincidentally, your next stop just happens to be where the uncle lives - would it be too much to ask you to take a copy of the wedding video across the border with you? They don't want to post it in case it gets lost or damaged. Be warned, you could be carrying a cassette filled with heroin not videotape.

Don't be coerced into transporting drugs across borders in return for money; the financial gain may appear to be huge but you could be caught and left with nothing but 40 other cellmates sharing a room built for ten. In particular, young female travellers are targets for drug trafficking; they often fall victim, all too easily, for the charming, rich drug dealer who promises them the earth in return for transporting a package. However, the young woman is nothing more to the dealer than a decoy who is intended to be caught at the airport in order to allow a much bigger package to go through unnoticed.

Sentences for trafficking offences are among the harshest, especially in Asia, South America and the West Indies.

Upon arrest

On your arrest, despite the serious and frightening situation, try to keep as calm as possible. You will probably be feeling panic stricken and scared, this is natural, but try to keep your cool and avoid showing anger and aggressive behaviour towards the police; they are in a more powerful position than you and will want to maintain their power and not lose face in front of their colleagues. Do not resist arrest through violence and unless demanded on your arrest, keep hold of your passport.

There may be language differences: if so, communication will be extremely difficult. This in itself can cause problems due to misunderstandings. Ask for an interpreter or someone who is familiar with the language to be with you before you answer any police questions or sign a document that you do not fully understand.

Ask that the British consul be notified of your arrest. He or she will be able to offer you advice and support, and will contact your family for you.

Conditions of police cells and prisons will vary from country to country. Depending on which country you are in, you may be held in conditions that you find totally unacceptable - but this is the harsh reality and you must deal with it. Conditions in South America and South-East Asia are particularly grim; extreme overcrowding, poor sanitation and lack of nutritious food are commonplace.

Make sure family and friends back home know what has happened to you. You will probably be feeling lonely and scared and will need their support. Your family will also feel extremely anxious, but this is better than the worry and uncertainty they would feel if they had not heard from you at all. They may also be in a position to help you as they will have access to telephones, faxes and computers, etc., and will be able to find out what is going on, in a way that you will not be able to.

Help is at hand

As previously mentioned, insist that the British consul for that area be notified. This is your right. British consuls are there to protect the interests of Britons abroad; this includes helping Britons who have got into trouble. They can not get you out of prison, but will offer advice and support. The consul will visit you as soon as possible.

You should also contact Prisoners Abroad, details below. You can do this directly, or through the British consul or your family and friends. Prisoners Abroad is the only UK charity that provides practical support and campaigns for the welfare of Britons imprisoned abroad. It is a non-judgemental, humanitarian organisation with a team of caseworkers who have detailed knowledge of specific countries and will be able to provide you and your family with support and advice by explaining criminal justice systems, prisoners' rights and prison conditions; by contacting other agencies, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and foreign Ministries of Justice; and by providing families with advice on how to send money abroad and helping to arrange visits.

Unofficial help can come in the form of the friends you have been travelling with and locals, especially expatriates. Being locked up, far away from family and friends, can be extremely isolating; local people, especially those that you have a common language with, can keep you in touch with the outside world, bring you things you need such as extra food or clothing and get messages to consuls, family and friends.

Doing the time

After the initial arrest and questioning phase it is unlikely that you will get bail due to being a foreigner. This means that you will be held in prison on remand until the trial date. The length of time you will be held on remand varies, but it is not unheard of for this to last for two years and more.

Being held far away from home, probably isolated from others by language and culture, it will be important to try to keep your spirits up. Your consul should visit you regularly, keeping you in touch with the outside world, and Prisoners Abroad can provide a service to ensure that your specific needs are met. This includes providing advice about lawyers; translating documents, letters and court papers; supporting any application for parole, remission, pardon and appeal; negotiating with prison authorities; providing essentials such as medicine, food and clothing; linking prisoners with pen pals; sending out magazines and books, particularly to non-English-speaking countries with limited library materials.

False accusations

It has been known for travellers to find themselves falsely accused of committing a crime. If it is simply a case of mistaken identity, stay calm. Do not panic and aggressively protest your innocence, this may only aggravate your captors and fuel them into pinning something on you.

You could find yourself in the situation where police officials have set you up and are demanding a pay-off. Police and prison officials, particularly in Asia, are on a meagre wage and some supplement their income by demanding pay-offs from travellers. You will need to use your judgement to decide whether, if you have the funds, to give money to such officials. There is no guarantee that it will stop at one payment and that, afterwards, they will leave you alone. However, if you decide to do so, you could be making a number of expensive pay-offs to each police official involved.

If you find yourself falsely accused, immediately inform the consul and tell them exactly what has happened.

Buying yourself out

Once you are being held in custody, there are some countries where you may be offered freedom in exchange for unofficial payments or bribes to certain officials. You or your family may be tempted to try this, but it is extremely dangerous and you may lose a lot of money with nothing to show for it - there is no guarantee that the officials will uphold their part of the bargain. You may also find yourself in the difficult position of being charged with bribery.

If you are actually being held on remand in prison it is important to know that bribery and corruption are rife in many prisons around the world and are a way of life. You may find that you have to pay for a space in a cell, your bedding, even food.

Holiday hotspots

In India, if you are caught with ten grams of cannabis, you face a mandatory sentence of ten years.

In Thailand, if you are caught in possession of less than 20 grams of heroin, you could receive a sentence of up to ten years and a fine. If you are caught trafficking any amount, no matter how small, of heroin you will automatically receive the death penalty. Possession of 30 grams of ecstasy can see you spending seven years in prison.

Prevention is better than cure

Prevention is always better than a cure. There are a number of factors that travellers should take into consideration to ensure that they avoid getting into trouble abroad:

· Check your passport and visa and make copies of them. Make sure you keep them safe, that the information contained in them is correct and that they are valid.

· Make sure you have adequate insurance cover. Some insurance companies will pay legal costs; check that to make sure they provide this cover before you buy the policy.

· Find out about and respect local laws and regulations.

· Watch your luggage at all times at airports, as well as on trains and buses when crossing borders.

· Be wary of taking lifts across borders; the one between France and Spain is particularly notorious as it is a well-known drug route into Europe from North Africa.

· Do not agree to carry a suitcase or package for a friend or acquaintance, especially if you are offered large sums of money.

· Do not get drunk and into fights.

· Carry a list of British consular offices for the countries you plan to visit.

· Let your family and friends back home know your movements and any changes you make to your route.

· Make sure you prepare yourself and know the consequences of your actions; saying you didn't realise that something was illegal is no excuse. This advice may seem obvious, but it is surprising how many people say "If only..."

For more information

Contact Prisoners Abroad, 89-93 Fonthill Road, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JH, tel 020 7561 6820, fax 020 7561 6821, email info@prisonersabroad.org.uk.