Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 08 Jul 2020
Bahrain
"To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they will make to the Government of Bahrain regarding the imprisonment and possible execution of individuals including Mohamed Ramadan and Hussain Moosa, and the reported use of torture to extract their confessions...."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 08 Jul 2020
Bahrain
"My Lords, I thank the Minister for his reply and appreciate that he is a steadfast defender of human rights. On 13 July, Bahrain’s Court of Cassation will decide whether to uphold the death sentences of Mohamed Ramadan and Hussain Moosa. False confessions were obtained under torture, according to the …..."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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Written Question
Tuesday 10th March 2020
Asked by:
Baroness D'Souza (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to appoint a specific individual or group to lead on international action to prevent any geopolitical and humanitarian crisis in Idlib.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are gravely concerned by the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Idlib where nearly one million people have been displaced as a result of regime and Russian military action since 1 December 2019. During his visit to Turkey on 3-4 March, the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation and the need for an immediate and lasting ceasefire. The UK is a member of the Syria Small Group, together with the US and key European and Arab states, and the UK Special Envoy for Syria, Martin Longden, has been in close contact with his counterparts on the crisis in Idlib. We currently have no plans to create a further position or grouping to address the situation in Idlib.
Written Question
Monday 9th March 2020
Asked by:
Baroness D'Souza (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about the case of Ms Gocke Tuyluoglu, the former director of the Open Society Foundation in Turkey; and what support, if any, they have offered her since her first arrest.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We remain concerned by the arrests and trial of 16 civil society figures in June 2019 over the 2013 Gezi Park protests, including Ms Gokce Tuyluoglu, and have been following the cases closely, including the latest hearing on 19 February, which a British Embassy official attended. We have raised their cases at ministerial level with the Turkish Government on several occasions, most recently in January this year. We hope that the outstanding charges against them can be brought to a timely and equitable conclusion.
We have long encouraged Turkey to work towards the full protection of fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression. On 28 January at the 35th Universal Periodic Review on Human Rights, one of the recommendations that the United Kingdom put forward for Turkey was protecting freedom of expression, including for journalists and human rights defenders, by decriminalising defamation. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these issues and be clear in our expectation that Turkey live up to its human rights obligations, which is essential to the long-term health of Turkish democracy.
Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 15 May 2019
Wilton Park
"My Lords, Wilton Park is a public body that is funded in part by the taxpayer, and it is world renowned for providing a mutual forum for debate on what are sometimes very conflicting issues. Last year, the Tailored review recommended closer connections and engagement between Wilton Park and the …..."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 19 Dec 2018
Yemen
"My Lords, given that we know that there is food available in Hodeidah and surrounding towns, are the UK Government working out a plan whereby they can buy grain locally to reduce the price? As I understand it, grain is being hoarded by merchants, which is causing a large part …..."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 16 Mar 2017
Commonwealth
"My Lords, I, too, thank the Minister for ensuring that we have a generous amount of time for this important debate.
There has never been a time when the diversity and unity that the Commonwealth represents have been more urgently needed. Although there are continued challenges within the family of …..."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Fri 24 Jan 2014
European Union (Referendum) Bill
"I remind your Lordships that, if the amendment is agreed to, I cannot call Amendments 2 to 7 by reason of pre-emption...."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 27 Oct 2010
Afghanistan
"My Lords, I, too, thank the Minister for repeating the Statement and say how much I welcome these quarterly Statements, which are extraordinarily useful. I underline what has been said previously by the opposition Member and ask the noble Lord to confirm before the next quarterly Statement—even in writing—that the …..."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 21 Jul 2010
Kabul Conference
"My Lords, I thank the Minister for repeating the Statement. May I, on behalf of the Cross Benches, offer profound sympathies to bereaved families and, once again, pay tribute to the courage of the forces fighting in the south of the country?
I would like to ask two very brief …..."Baroness D'Souza - View Speech
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