INDIA PRISONER'S FAMILY APPEALS TO PM

The family of a British charity worker serving a 10-year prison sentence
for a crime he says he did not commit are to appeal for the Prime Minister
to intervene in the case.

Ian Stillman, who is deaf and has only one leg, was imprisoned by Indian
authorities two years ago this week for possessing cannabis. There are
fears he could lose his other leg as his health deteriorates. His sister
Elsbeth Dugdale said they would appeal to Tony Blair to call for his
release after being refused a request to transfer Mr Stillman on medical
grounds.

She said that they had reached a legal "dead end" after appealing against
the sentence and now needed "the intervention of the British Government and
request Mr Blair to intervene directly with the Indian government to call
for his release".

The family will present a letter written by Mr Stillman at Downing Street
today. Ms Dugdale said: "We are remembering two years since Ian's arrest
and detention. This is a good opportunity to take the letter to Downing
Street and other paperwork."

Talking about the transfer request, she said Mr Stillman was "extremely
disappointed" about the rejection, continuing: "The point of that would
have been to be much closer...to his family and receive better medical
facilities.

"In his spirits (Ian) is still quite good, quite strong but extremely
disappointed to have to stay in the north at the moment and extremely
worried about his own health."