Asked by: David Winnick (Labour - Walsall North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the government of Saudi Arabia on the sentence on Raif Badawi; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We are extremely concerned that Raif Badawi’s sentence has been upheld by the Supreme Court in Saudi Arabia. However we understand that this case is under active consideration in the Saudi Supreme Court and we will continue to watch it closely. We have raised this case at the most senior levels bilaterally with the Saudi Arabian government.
Asked by: David Winnick (Labour - Walsall North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when he expects to reply to the letter of 2 October 2014 to the hon. Member for Walsall North on behalf of a constituent on the subject of Bahrain.
Answered by David Lidington
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth East (Mr Ellwood), responded to the hon. Member on 5 November 2014.
Asked by: David Winnick (Labour - Walsall North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Egyptian counterpart on allegations of brutality and torture of detainees in Azouli prison; and if he will raise this issue at EU meetings and with other international bodies.
Answered by Hugh Robertson
Recent allegations of torture and mistreatment in Egyptian prisons are deeply worrying. A recent Amnesty International report suggests that up to 400 civilians are being held without charge at the Azouli prison, with no access to their lawyers or families.
The European Union made a statement at the 26th Human Rights Council regarding the treatment of prisoners in Egypt. The statement expressed concern at the continued detention of thousands of Egyptian citizens, many of whom were detained on unclear grounds, and the conditions under which they are detained.
Representatives of the British Embassy in Cairo raised the issue of Azouli prison with the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 24 June. The UK Government condemns the use of torture in all circumstances and strongly urges the Egyptian authorities to ensure that all human and legal rights of all detainees are upheld.
Asked by: David Winnick (Labour - Walsall North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent complaints he has received on the handling of correspondence on passport delays by HM Ambassador to Italy.
Answered by David Lidington
I am not aware of complaints on the handling of correspondence by our Ambassador in Rome. Passport renewal is the responsibility of Her Majesty's Passport Office under the responsibility of Home Office Ministers. Any related correspondence received in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is therefore transferred to that Office for response.Asked by: David Winnick (Labour - Walsall North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent correspondence his Department has received from UK citizens living in Italy on delays in passport renewal; whether all such letters were acknowledged; and for what reasons any such letter has not yet been acknowledged.
Answered by David Lidington
Passport renewal is the responsibility of Her Majesty's Passport Office under the responsibility of Home Office Ministers. Any related correspondence received in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is therefore transferred to that Office for response.