Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
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 Indian counterpart on the use of pellet guns in Indian Administered Kashmir.
Answered by Mark Field
We welcome the reduction in the use of pellet guns since 2017 but are aware of, and concerned by, continued reports of their use and related injuries. We have raised this issue with the Indian Government. I discussed the situation in Kashmir with the Indian Foreign Secretary on my visit to India in March this year. The Permanent Under Secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Sir Simon McDonald) also raised the situation in Kashmir with the Foreign Secretary during bilateral talks last month (May).
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
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 Indian counterpart on Indian security forces upholding international human rights in Kashmir in the last 12 months.
Answered by Mark Field
We encourage both India and Pakistan to uphold their international human rights obligations. Any allegations of human rights violations or abuses is concerning and must be investigated thoroughly, promptly and transparently. I discussed the situation in Kashmir with the Indian Foreign Secretary on my visit to India in March this year. The Permanent Under Secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office also raised the situation in Kashmir with the Foreign Secretary during bilateral talks last month (May).
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will he seek assurances from his Indian counterpart that Kashmiri activist Yasin Malik will receive a fair trial following his arrest in April 2019.
Answered by Mark Field
It is not for the UK to comment on or intervene in an independent judicial process in another country. However, the British Government does encourage all states, including India, to ensure that their domestic laws meet international standards for free and fair trials. We will continue to monitor the case.
Asked by: Holly Lynch (Labour - Halifax)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the challenges faced by Christian charities operating in India; and whether he has made any representations on that matter to the Indian Government.
Answered by Mark Field
We are aware of the challenges international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) face operating in India and are also aware of concerns regarding the Government of India’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office network in India monitors developments closely. Officials have remained in close contact with NGOs and minority groups, including Christians.