Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the stability of the Fatah-Hamas Unity government in the Palestinian Authority.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Since its formation, the Palestinian interim technocratic government has faced considerable challenges threatening its stability – including the conflict in Gaza over the summer, ongoing internal Palestinian political tensions, the challenge of extending Palestinian Authority (PA) control over Gaza, and reconstructing Gaza. The government remains fragile and has a huge task in front of it in reuniting Gaza and the West Bank.
The UK welcomed the formation of the interim technocratic government in June, and has strongly supported government efforts to reconstruct Gaza and re-establish PA authority there.
Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to the Palestinian Authority on recent reports of violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have not made any specific representations to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on this issue, as the PA itself is not responsible for the firing. However, we have regularly urged senior Palestinians to return to the Cairo negotiations, with the Israeli government, to ensure that a durable ceasefire is put in place in Gaza.
Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Palestinian Authority counterparts on the closure of the administrative checkpoint at the Erez Crossing.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
I raised the importance of keeping the crossing open when I met President Abbas during my visit last year. I also raised this with Israeli interlocutors. The Erez Crossing is run by the Israeli authorities not the PA. We have had reports that the crossing closed briefly on 8 January when Hamas security personnel attempted to approach the crossing, but otherwise it has been open.
Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Palestinian Authority counterparts on the smuggling of weapons and other contraband into Gaza.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
We have not raised this issue specifically with the Palestinian Authority (PA). However, we regularly discuss with PA ministers our wish for the PA to return to Gaza and to play a more active role at the crossings.
Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of press freedom in Iran.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Freedom of expression in Iran is severely restricted. Iran has more journalists in prison than almost any other country. New outlets and online media are heavily censored and the majority of newspapers are now government controlled. We continue to urge Iran to guarantee the rights of all its citizens in line with its international obligations. We most recently raised our concerns around freedom of expression during Iran’s Universal Periodic Review during the UN Human Rights Council on 31 October.
Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the extent of restriction of access to the internet in Iran.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Iran systematically filters and restricts access to the internet. Millions of websites are blocked, including social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook. Many Iranian citizens find technical ways around the restrictions but their online activity can put them at risk. In May 2014, eight Iranians were sentenced to a combined 123 years in prison for their Facebook activities. Charges included blasphemy, insulting the Supreme Leader, and spreading propaganda against the system. We urge Iran to allow freedom of expression, and respect the rights of all its citizens in line with its international obligations. We most recently raised our concerns around freedom of expression during Iran’s Universal Periodic Review at the UN Human Rights Council on 31 October.Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of religious freedom in Iran.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
In 2013, President Rouhani made a number of comments in support of greater religious freedom in Iran. Unfortunately, there has been no change in Iran’s approach over the past year. Religious minority groups in Iran continue to face widespread discrimination. The UK has repeatedly called on the Iranian government to end all persecution of individuals on the basis of their faith, and to guarantee the human rights of all Iranians.Asked by: Guto Bebb (Independent - Aberconwy)
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 Iranian counterpart on the detention of journalists in Iran.
Answered by Tobias Ellwood
Freedom of expression in Iran is severely restricted. Iran has more journalists in prison than almost any other country. New outlets and online media are heavily censored and the majority of newspapers are now government controlled. We continue to urge Iran to guarantee the rights of all its citizens in line with its international obligations. We most recently raised our concerns around freedom of expression during Iran’s Universal Periodic Review during the UN Human Rights Council on 31 October.