Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 09 Jul 2020
Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime
"My Lords, may I press the Minister a bit more about applying sanctions on a wider basis than by one country? Does he agree that if sanctions are agreed across a range of countries, they are many times more effective than simply a unilateral step taken by Britain in the …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Written Question
Tuesday 16th June 2020
Asked by:
Lord Dubs (Labour - Life peer)
Question
to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Nigeria about the arrest and detention of Mubarak Bala, the President of the Humanist Association of Nigeria.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The UK Government is monitoring the arrest of Mr Bala closely. The Minister for Africa raised Mr Bala's case with the Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs during a call on 21 May. Our High Commission in Abuja has also discussed the case with the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Police. The recent update from the Nigerian authorities is that Mr Bala has been charged with 'insulting contempt of religious creed and insulting public disturbances' under the penal code and racist and xenophobic offences under the cybercrime act. The charges are made under Kano State Law.
The Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Rehman Chishti MP, is also personally looking into Mr Bala's case on an urgent basis, and has raised this matter with international counterparts. On 6 May, Mr Chishti spoke with the Chief Executive of Humanists UK and stressed the UK's engagement on this case. The Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, also discussed Mr Bala's case with the Chief Executive on 20 May.
We will continue to stress the importance of a transparent investigation that respects Mr Bala's human rights, the rule of law, and the Nigerian constitutional right to freedom of religion or belief. Defending freedom of religion or belief for all remains a UK policy priority and we will continue to use our voice internationally to protect this human right, championed by Mr Chishti.
Speech in Lords Chamber - Thu 04 Jun 2020
Hong Kong: Human Rights
"My Lords, I am privileged to have been a friend of Martin Lee for quite some years. He is one of the most resolute defenders of democracy on behalf of the people of Hong Kong. It is clear that this new security law goes entirely against the Sino-British agreement; I …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 20 May 2020
Covid-19: Refugee Camps
"My Lords, the Minister will be aware of the “Panorama” programme earlier this week showing the conditions in some of the Greek refugee camps. He will have seen that, for example, in Moria, social distancing is impossible: if the virus were to get into that camp it would be unstoppable. …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 19 May 2020
Air Quality and Emissions
"To ask Her Majesty’s Government what has been the improvement in air quality, emissions and other environmental indicators since the COVID-19 restrictions were introduced...."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 19 May 2020
Air Quality and Emissions
"My Lords, I am grateful to the Minister for that, and of course these are positive benefits to the environment. Does the Minister agree that as we move into economic recovery from the pandemic we cannot go back to business as usual? Does he agree that we must seek to …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 10 Mar 2020
Refugee Crisis: Greece and Turkey
"My Lords, does the Minister agree that the whole world is looking on in shocked horror at people on the Greek-Turkish border being treated as political pawns in the conflict? Will he confirm that, recently, the Greek Government appealed to other countries to share the responsibly for refugees, particularly those …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 08 Oct 2019
Falkland Islands: Landmines
"My Lords, I understand from information I got from people doing mine clearance some years ago that the difficulty in the Falklands is the nature of the terrain, or the earth. Some of the unexploded ordnance has sunk so deep into the earth that it is very difficult to clear, …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Wed 28 Feb 2018
International Development Committee: Burma Visas
"My Lords, it is shocking that the crisis of the Rohingya has been going on for 25 years or longer. I visited Cox’s Bazar before I became a Member of this House in the early 1990s. Are we the only country against which the Burmese Government have taken the kind …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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Speech in Lords Chamber - Tue 13 Oct 2015
European Union Referendum Bill
"My Lords, those of us who travel to other European countries are normally asked this question, which I was asked last week: what is going on with your country and the EU? We do not understand. So I thought I would save the Hansard for this debate and send it …..."Lord Dubs - View Speech
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