An Osman warning is a notification issued by British police or authorities to a prospective victim when there is intelligence of a real and immediate threat to their life, such as a risk of murder or death threat. This warning is named after the Osman v United Kingdom case and is also known as a Threat to Life (TTL) warning. It is issued when the police have intelligence indicating a credible and immediate risk but do not have enough evidence to arrest the potential perpetrator. The warning involves informing the potential victim about the threat, advising them to take precautions such as changing routines, being vigilant, or temporarily moving, but makes clear that retaliatory action is not permitted and legal obligations remain.
The term "Osman warning" is no longer officially used by some police forces, who refer to it as a Threat to Life warning following legal appeals, but the concept remains the same. It aims to fulfill the requirement that authorities take proactive steps to protect people when there is knowledge of a threat to their life, even without sufficient evidence for arrest.
