To whom it may concern
So many caring friends
Thank you most kindly for your care and interest with this long drawn out humanitarian and legal miscarriage.
I hope my below listed responses are sufficient to better explain to you, some of the most common queries regarding this unfortunate incident.
Current Status
I was arrested 18thsept 2008 in Kuwait city centre, in broad daylight.. and have been in jail ever since.
I was tried in a court of Kuwaiti law.. and convicted of trafficking in drugs and liquor.
I was initially sentenced to life in jail (or 25 years.) This was reduced by 10 years, to 15years... for good behaviour.
I have completed 8 years and have 7 more to go, until 2024.
This has mercifully been reduced by a further 4 years to a remaining 3 years... also marked by good behaviour...Which is marked on my file as around about 2020.
The exact protocols for my mail and packages are as follow..
Including the liaison person(s) for status updates on mail and packages.
We dont encourage sending of any parcels, as authorisations are very difficult and all packages dissapear.
c/o Ms Caroline le Quesne
Vice Consul
British Embassy Kuwait
(Detainee Gareth KCP)
P.o.box 2
Safat 13001
Kuwait
Uk Embassy 00965 22594320
Caroline le Quesne
00965 22594358
caroline.lequesne@fco.gov.uk
sahar.mohseni@fco.gov.uk
Ambassador
Matthew.lodge@fco.gov.uk
Until now, we have recieved no responses from any Kuwait gov parties or official courtesy.
Prisoners Abroad in london are supportive and will assist relocation.. money..registration.. accommodation and documentation when I arrive safely back to London after my release.
They have had a file on me since 2008.
Fairtrials International declined to review my case.. (rebecca shaeffer) but they also have a file on me .
My lawyer was unavailable when FTI tried to contact him...and Embassy advised against contesting the verdict set in stone.
Amnesty International in S.A. reviewed my case under Dr Thinus Coetzee.. They regarded my case as criminal, and as such, they felt it had no grounds for a human rights appeal.
The very extensive file, was consequently referred to Amnesty International in London and ignored. 2014.
Walkfree organisation also ignored all approaches.
BBC London declined to comment or, as we gather, they were concerned that publication of these gross legal and human rights infractions could jeopardise the sensitive diplomatic relationships between the UK and Kuwait.
This could ultimately insult the Kuwaiti sovereign judiciary.
My present position here is as a common criminal prisoner sentenced to life (25yr).imprisonment .. for trafficking in hashish...(49 kg), hidden inside a spare tyre in my cargo load.
2014 Reduced sentence to 15yrs... for being a good model prisoner.
2016 reduced further four years...for academic achievements...and
Cancellation of all fines.
I am a British citizen and have always carried a valid passport.
I was born of British parents in colonial Kenya 1959.
I am South African and have dual nationality with permission from home affairs..
Date of marriage and children.Married Cape town 19 Dec1989
Only child 1998
The actual dates of my employment leading up to my incarceration 2008.
My last employment term was Sept 2003 to my arrest Sept 17th 2008.
My title as Operations Maintenance Manager included tasking in Iraq for five years as Senior field operations manager for Inchcape Shipping Services, trading as KMMC in Kuwait...administered from London and Dxb.
These contracts were in turn, subcontracted to Kellogg Brown and Root.(KBK UK) also headed from Leatherhead HQ in London.
Contracted in turn by U.K. Ministry of Defence.. in support of British troops in Iraq and coalition efforts.
My dear old mother died very prematurely of overexertion because of my lack of attendance.. and undet a cloud of unbearable shame ..Nov16 2014. R.i.p.
My 87 yr old father is weak and needs me badly.. but is fading fast too.
I have repeatedly sent letters to the amir of kuwait who is the only authority permitted to free me, or to make any adjustments to my status.
Even my old father has written numerous personal appeals to the Amir ..also all unanswered.
I have a long established case of PTSD and have recieved limited treatment for it here.
I have the medical documentation on my file.
I have been well cared for, and protected by the British Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) via British Embassy in Kuwait.
They are only ever a phonecall away.. and respond immediately if ever i have a situation.
They deliver cash to the prison which gets sent to me from various close friends.. via electronic transfer as per fco.gov.uk website.
Parcels are declined now as embassy feel they exceed their limitations by requesting repeated special authorisations, when delivering goods to the prison for me.
I have become ever more confident and well convinced of our detailed legal approach and credibility throughout this campaign.
The impact of this campaign will be most effective while i am in jail.
I need therefore ..to continue with as much public exposure as possible before my captors release me surreptitiously.
My stance remains courteous and regretful.. but it has to be assertive confident and absolutely honest.
My new global petition comes out soon and is well underway for christmas.
So .. as much as we are all outraged and incensed by the extent of the complex and sensitive limitations by embassy .. lawyers and business collegues.. we remain most cautious and discrete.. because we need them on our side... perhaps for years to come.
I have resolved to persevere with this campaign because so much effort has been expended over the years, and much has been achieved.
There is no stopping now as it would be a tragic waste and a great dissapointment to many..
Many strangers have joined with us here and stand strong and vocal.
Every one a treasured friend forever.
One last thing i am most pleased to mention.. is, that I alone...am so small and weak, and insignificant in the scheme of things..
but our success together over these wealthy and powerful political elements, is a victory for truth and justice in this messed up world.
Your passion...your outrage.. your care.. did this.
Many many thanks..
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/appeal-to-the-authorities-and-the-emir-of-kuwait?utm_medium=email&utm_source=facebook&utm_campaign=thank-you
