Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to recognise the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on 26 September.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government will not attend the United Nations event on 2 October to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, which is used by states to promote the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The Government has no plans to recognise the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. However, we remain committed to disarmament, and to building the confidence and transparency we believe is vital to deliver our long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons. We believe further progress towards this goal can only be made through gradual multilateral disarmament, using a step-by-step approach under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The Government regularly engages in constructive discussions on disarmament. Most recently UK officials attended an event to mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests on 26 August.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government at what level they will be represented at the United Nations General Assembly special high-level meeting on 2 October to recognise the significance of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The Government will not attend the United Nations event on 2 October to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, which is used by states to promote the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). The Government has no plans to recognise the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons. However, we remain committed to disarmament, and to building the confidence and transparency we believe is vital to deliver our long-term goal of a world without nuclear weapons. We believe further progress towards this goal can only be made through gradual multilateral disarmament, using a step-by-step approach under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The Government regularly engages in constructive discussions on disarmament. Most recently UK officials attended an event to mark the International Day against Nuclear Tests on 26 August.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they will make to the government of Bahrain about political prisoners at risk of execution, including the cases of (1) Mohamed Ramadan, (2) Husain Moosa, (3) Maher al-Khabbaz, (4) Salman Salman, (5) Hussein Ebrahim, (6) Mohammad Hassan, (7) Sayed Al-Abar, (8) Hussein Mohamed, (9) Hussein Marzooq, (10) Moosa Jafaar, (11) Zuhair Ibrahim, and (12) Husain Rashid.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We are following these cases, all of whom have been convicted of the murder of police officers, civilians or both, and will continue to make the Government of Bahrain aware that the UK is firmly opposed to the death penalty, in all circumstances. I reiterated our long standing opposition to the death penalty in my meeting with the Bahraini Minister of Foreign Affairs on 7 September.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement made by the Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission on 27 August that the public prosecutor has referred the death sentences of child defendants Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher for review; what steps they intend to take to ensure that the review is carried out effectively and expediently; and what representations they intend to make to the government of Saudi Arabia about (1) the speedy release of those defendants, and (2) the abolition of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia for all individuals charged with crimes committed as children, including Mohammed al-Faraj.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We welcome the recent announcement from the Saudi Public Prosecutor that Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon and Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher will have their cases reviewed. The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and in all circumstances, as a matter of principle. This is especially the case for juveniles and for crimes other than the most serious. This is in line with the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Arab Charter on Human Rights. In August, our Chargé d'affaires in Riyadh raised the issue of the death penalty with Minister of State Al Jubeir, including Mohammad al-Faraj's case. We will continue to monitor and raise concerns about the cases of al-Nimr, al-Marhoon, al-Zaher and al-Faraj. We regularly raise our concerns about the use of the death penalty with the Saudi Arabian authorities. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised the death penalty with Dr Awwad al Awwad, President of Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Commission during his virtual visit in July. I raised the death penalty in a call with Dr Awwad in June and raised a range of human rights concerns during my visit last September. The Foreign Secretary raised human rights during his visit in March this year.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised the cases of Zuhair Ibrahim Jasim Abdullah and Hussein Abdullah Khalil Rashid with the government of Bahrain; and which individuals and government bodies (1) in the UK, and (2) in Bahrain, have been involved in senior level representation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We last raised the cases of Zuhair Ibrahim Jasim Abdullah and Hussein Abdullah Khalil Rashid at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain via the British Embassy in Bahrain in July. The Government of Bahrain is fully aware that the UK is firmly opposed to the death penalty, in all circumstances.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the announcement of the Global Human Rights sanctions regime, what actions they are taking to pursue those responsible for the abuse, torture and disappearances in Chechnya since the late 1990s.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We remain deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Russia, including in Chechnya. In December 2018 the UK was one of 16 countries to invoke the OSCE's Moscow Mechanism, requiring an independent OSCE investigation into reports of serious human rights violations in the region. The OSCE Moscow Mechanism's independent 2018 report confirmed allegations of serious human rights violations in Chechnya including unlawful detention, torture, and extrajudicial killings. We continue to urge Russia to implement the recommendations made in the Moscow Mechanism report and to end the climate of impunity for human rights abusers in Chechnya. The UK Government has raised this issue repeatedly with the Russian Government and made clear that Russia must abide by its international human rights obligations. On 17 June 2020, Minister Morton raised this with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Titov.
As the Foreign Secretary made clear, the Global Human Rights sanctions regime gives the UK a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. We will continue to consider designating persons under the Global Human Rights sanctions regulations in order to deter and provide accountability for serious human rights violations or abuses around in the world, as one response among other diplomatic tools.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what arrangements they have made to recognise the state of Palestine.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK will recognise a Palestinian state at a time when it best serves the objective of peace. Bilateral recognition in itself cannot end the occupation. Without a negotiated settlement the occupation and the problems that come with it will continue.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the response to COVID-19 in (1) Somalia, (2) Sudan, and (3) Yemen, is conflict sensitive.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We continue to work closely with international partners towards peace in Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, as in other countries in conflict that have been impacted by COVID-19. The UK supports the UN Secretary-General's call for a global ceasefire in armed conflicts. In each of Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, the impacts of COVID-19 and conflict are closely intertwined, as is UK action on both
UK support for Somalia's COVID-19 response includes tackling risks of increased instability and protecting existing state-building efforts. Our action includes promoting inclusive politics, helping to maintain the state's core functions (such as revenue-raising, managing public finance and security), and supporting the resilience of communities across Somalia plagued by al-Shabaab and the risks of conflict.
Sudan was facing economic collapse even before COVID-19. The UK is taking a leading role in helping the Government of Sudan to secure the international financial support it needs to avoid this, one of the greatest risks to stability and conflict. As the second largest bilateral donor in Sudan we are working with the Government of Sudan to ensure the most vulnerable continue to receive humanitarian support, and are monitoring how COVID-19 is impacting conflict dynamics so that programming avoids contributing to instability. This includes a £6m contribution to the UN COVID-19 response plan for Sudan.
In Yemen the UK will provide up to £10 million through our new Local Peacebuilding Programme over the next three years, which includes funding a Conflict Sensitivity Platform to support humanitarian and development agencies delivering aid in Yemen to do no harm and make positive contributions to peace and stability. The programme will work with local communities to address the drivers of conflict, and in turn, strengthen social cohesion in Yemen. We are also supporting the UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths in his efforts to find a political solution to the conflict. Given the threat of COVID-19 it is more important than ever that both the Houthis and the Government of Yemen agree to Griffiths' proposals.
Asked by: Lord Judd (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Saudi Arabia about the application of its royal decree to end the death penalty for crimes committed by minors; and what clarification they have sought as to whether that decree applies to all (1) children, and (2) adults whose alleged crimes were committed while they were children, who are currently on death row.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
We welcome the decision by Saudi Arabia to end the use of the death penalty as a discretionary punishment for minors, including those under the age of 18 at the time of the alleged crime. We will monitor the implementation of this decision.
The Saudi authorities understand our position: we oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and especially in cases that involve child defendants. This position is in line with the minimum standards set out in the 2008 EU Guidelines on the Death Penalty; the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and, the Arab Charter on Human Rights.
The former Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised our concerns about the death penalty with Deputy Justice Minister HE Abdullah Al Sulaimi on 11 February. The Foreign Secretary also raised our human rights concerns with Saudi Arabia during his visit in March this year.
We will continue to raise our concerns with the Government of Saudi Arabia to promote the protection of all child defendants against the death penalty regardless of the crime committed. We will encourage the authorities to review death penalty judgements for all minors, or individuals who were minors when the crime was committed.
Asked by: Lord Judd (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 Israel about the statistics published by Military Court Watch showing that in February, of the Palestinian security prisoners held by Israel, 81 per cent of adults and 75 per cent of children were held in Israel in contravention of Article 76 of the fourth Geneva Convention; and what was the outcome of any such representations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
The UK has serious concerns about the continued reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian minors in Israeli military detention. We continue to fund projects providing legal aid to minors and capacity building to local lawyers. Specifically, we advocate for the Israeli authorities to inform more consistently detainees of their legal rights. We continue to make representations to the Israeli authorities on this issue.