Getting Arrested Overseas – Help, You Need Somebody!

Every foreigner who lives in or travels to a certain country is subject to its laws, and we Americans are no different when it comes to overseas travel. US officials are limited in their capacity to help, and as such, they cannot pay for your legal fees or expenses and they cannot represent you in court. However, keep in mind that you will not be left hanging by these officials and their agencies, because they can do a few good things for you if you happen to get incarcerated or arrested overseas, such as notifying family and asking if they can help towards your legal expenses, providing you with a list of different attorneys to choose, and caring for your welfare and making it a point to help keep you in good health in mind and body.

If you are arrested, immediately ask to speak to a consular officer at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Under international agreements, the U.S. Government has a right to provide consular assistance to you upon your request. Be patient if you are not allowed to speak with your consul right off the bat, and be persistent – try your best to conduct yourself politely and courteously.

Insider information on drug offenses committed overseas

More and more Americans join the hundreds arrested yearly in other countries for drug offenses. The anti-drug policies and laws of the foreign country Americans are apprehended in will always apply – U.S. laws would not be applicable, and of course, nobody is above the law in any event. In many countries, the burden of proof is on the accused to show that he or she is innocent of the charges.

Some American travelers are naive enough to accept an all-expenses-paid vacation, with one catch – they would have to do it in exchange for carrying luggage with a small package surreptitiously hidden. Again, ignorance of the law excuses no one – a traveler may fall for the now-common scam of carrying a heavy piece of luggage if it means being rewarded with an all-expenses-paid trip – but once caught, his/her protestations that he/she wasn’t dealing with drugs will likely fall on deaf ears.

Every aspect of a drug arrest abroad can be different from U.S. practice. Consider these:

few countries provide a jury trial

many countries do not permit pre-trial release on bail

Pre-trial detention is often done in solitary, and can last more than a few months

Overseas prisons are often lacking the most fundamental in equipment, beds, sinks and toilets alike.

You may want to ask a family member or a friend to bring you supplements, because diets in here tend to lack nutritional value

Possible language barrier with prison officials and/or police

Also consider that most inmates overseas are subject to extremely high levels of physical and emotional stress

People convicted may not just be up for a few months in jail or a fine – hard labor and even the death penalty are possible overseas as well

penalties for drug possession and for drug trafficking are often the same abroad, so possession of one ounce of marijuana could result in years in a foreign jail

Consular officers may do their job, but they are basically doing your job because that puts food on their tables. But if that is the case, you made your bed, so go lie in it. Drugs are awful. Stay away from drugs.

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