Alan Rae - Peru

Last updated: 21 July 2011

“I am just upset because I am not with my family. We have cockroaches crawling over us at night. You are squashed up next to people on the floor. It’s hot and dirty.”
Alan Rae
 

British man detained for over a year in Peru without legal representation

While returning from holiday in Peru in April 2009, British citizen Alan Rae was arrested at the airport on suspicion of drug smuggling. It emerged at the airport on the way home that his friend, who he was travelling with, was carrying drugs. Alan’s friend has taken full responsibility from the beginning and confirmed that Alan had no knowledge of the drugs. Nevertheless, Alan was arrested.

Alan was in detention in Peru for over 2 years. For the first year and a half, he had no access to legal advice or representation. The Peruvian judicial system is overwhelmed with cases, and state-appointed lawyers often do not have time to meet with clients before the day of trial. As he lacked the means to pay for a private lawyer, Alan was effectively left unrepresented.

Due to Alan’s determination and the support of Fair Trials International, pro bono lawyers were eventually found to represent him. FTI worked with them to ensure that defence evidence could be heard, and liaised with the Ombudsman of the Public Defender´s Office to ensure that Alan’s defence was understood and transmitted to judges. The Ombudsman took a special interest in Alan’s case, and attended both his trial and his appeal to make sure that his case was treated fairly.

His first trial commenced in November 2010. Despite his co-defendant’s insistence that Alan had nothing to do with the drugs, earlier this year Alan was convicted and sentenced to 14 years. FTI continued to support him and called for his appeal to be heard swiftly. 3 months later, Alan was acquitted of all charges on appeal and released.
 

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