Earlier this year, 33 Bedford Row's Nigel Edwards KC and Haydee Dijkstal worked to help the release of Anoosheh Ashoori - a British citizen unlawfully detained for five years in an Iranian prison. 

Nigel and Haydee were further instructed to prepare a submission of written evidence to be submitted on behalf of Anoosheh and his family to the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Select Committee Inquiry, which is examining the handling of state level hostage situations. They were assisted in preparing the submission to the Inquiry by Aqsa Hussain and Olivia Beach of 33 Bedford Row.    

The submissions were made in October 2022, and published by the Inquiry on 7 February 2023.

It is hoped the inquiry will assist in effecting change to how state level hostages are treated by the UK and how their families are similarly so assisted, as well as how protections and early release can be achieved.

The submission can be read in full here.