Authoritarian government

What makes this different

This develops over months or years rather than minutes. The aim is to keep the family safe, keep your options open and avoid becoming a target.

Protect yourself now

• Keep passports valid for everyone, including the child.
• Keep copies of important documents in a safe place, and an encrypted digital copy.
• Know your legal rights: if stopped by police, you can ask whether you are under arrest and ask for a solicitor.
• Reduce your digital footprint: review social media privacy settings, remove old posts, use strong unique passwords and two-factor authentication.
• Use encrypted messaging apps with disappearing messages for sensitive conversations.
• Keep some savings in cash.

Keep options open

• Know the routes out of the UK: ferries from Liverpool, Holyhead, Heysham and Cairnryan, plus the Channel crossings.
• Know which countries you could go to legally, and what they require.

Do not

• Do not break the law in ways that put the family at risk.
• Do not keep things that could be used against you on your phone.

Stay or go?

Depends. Most people stay and keep a low profile. Leaving the country is a big step: decide early, while it is still legal and easy, rather than late.