Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help protect political and ethnic groups that are being targeted by the Turkish Government.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We have made clear to the Turkish Government the importance we place on respect for democratic standards and the human rights of all Turkish citizens, regardless of their ethnicity or political affiliation. Through our Embassy in Ankara we support a range of civil society activity, including projects aimed at improving minority rights. We will continue to engage with Turkey on these important issues.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to promote human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK is deeply concerned by the human rights situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Human rights violations and abuses include; sexual and gender based violence, arbitrary arrest and detention, extrajudicial killings as well as further restrictions on democratic space.
In the run-up to the December 2018 elections, the UK (alongside UN and EU colleagues) pressed the DRC Government to open up political space, release political prisoners, lift a block on internet communications, recognise peoples' right to peaceful assembly, and refrain from using excessive force against protesters.
On combatting sexual violence, the UK has helped fund Trial International, who provide support for survivors, promote accountability for sexual violence crimes and build local capacity to effectively document, investigate and litigate sexual violence cases.
We continue to encourage the DRC Government to cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council investigation into the human rights abuses in the Kasais area of southern DRC bordering Angola.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of the acquittal of Laurent Gbagbo on the efforts of the International Criminal Court to enforce human rights standards.
Answered by Mark Field
On 15 January, the International Criminal Court (ICC) Trial Chamber, by majority acquitted Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Blé Goudé of all charges. These judgments have been reached following an independent and impartial judicial process. Our thoughts are with the victims of violence in Cote d'Ivoire and their families. The UK government firmly believes that those who have perpetrated war crimes and crimes against humanity should be held fully accountable. The ICC can play an important role in ending impunity for the most serious international crimes. It has our full support in pursuing the mandate it was given under ICC Statute.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
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 Zimbabwean counterpart on that country's obligations under international human rights and international law in relation to the treatment of independent Trades Unions.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
I summoned the Zimbabwean Ambassador on 17 January to highlight our concern at the ongoing situation in Zimbabwe.
I call on the Government of Zimbabwe to ensure its security forces act professionally, proportionately and at all times with respect for human life and constitutional rights. We further call on the Government of Zimbabwe to investigate all allegations of human rights violations and abuses. We also urge the reinstatement of full internet access, consistent with citizens' constitutional right to freedom of expression.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of UK allies that have failed to comply with the International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Omar al-Bashir as a result of him being allowed through their territory since 2010.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Government's policy remains to encourage states to comply with their international legal obligations to cooperate with the International Criminal Court (ICC), in particular with respect to the execution of ICC arrest warrants. We pursue this policy through a range of fora, including the Security Council, but note that any action by the Security Council requires the agreement of its permanent members. We do not have an estimate of countries that have failed to comply with the ICC in the case of Omar al-Bashir.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations his Department has made to the Government of Turkey on its international obligations to maintain human rights.
Answered by Alan Duncan
We regularly raise human rights issues with the Turkish Government at all levels, including between the Prime Minister and President Erdoǧan. This includes both discussion of individual cases of concern, and the wider importance of guaranteeing fundamental rights for all citizens, notably freedom of expression and assembly. Our Embassy in Ankara has discussed such concerns with Turkish officials this January and we will continue to do so as necessary in the future.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of its emergency loan policy on economically vulnerable British citizens seeking to leave forced marriages abroad; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The UK is a world-leader in the fight to tackle out the brutal practice of forced marriage, with our joint Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office Forced Marriage Unit which leads efforts to combat it both at home and abroad. This joint unit was established in 2005 because the Government of the day recognised that British citizens who are forced into marriage constituted a category of exceptionally vulnerable people in need of specific help.
After careful consideration, the Foreign Sectetary and I have decided that victims of forced marriage who are helped to return to the UK by the Forced Marriage Unit will no longer be asked to take out a loan for their repatriation costs.
From now on, none of those who are assisted by the Forced Marriage Unit - and would previously have been offered a loan - will have to cover the costs of their repatriation. Where possible, the Government will continue to seek to ensure the costs fall on the perpetrators by means of Forced Marriage Protection Orders (FMPOs).
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people who drowned while attempting to reach Europe from the Middle East and North Africa in 2017.
Answered by Alan Duncan
According to the International Organisation for Migration there was an estimated total of 3,116 fatalities across all routes in 2017 (Central Mediterranean route: 2,832; Eastern Mediterranean route: 61; Western Mediterranean route: 223). The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimates a similar total of 3,139 fatalities (Central Mediterranean route: 2873; Eastern Mediterranean route: 54; Western Mediterranean route: 212).
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of whether there are any financial links between extreme Islamist groups in the Middle East and North Africa and extreme Islamist groups in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has not made any assessment of whether there are financial links between extremist Islamist groups in the Middle East and North Africa and extremist Islamist groups in the UK. In July 2017 the Government concluded its internal review into the funding for Islamist extremist activity in the UK, and issued a Written Ministerial Statement. The review has improved the Government’s understanding of the nature, scale and sources of funding for Islamist extremism in the UK. The Statement is a comprehensive reflection of the review’s findings: www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2017-07-12/HCWS39
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many UK citizens are imprisoned in the United States.
Answered by Alan Duncan
As of May 2018, we are aware of 439 British nationals in detention in the United States. This can include British nationals in immigration detention, in police custody, on remand awaiting trial, and sentenced prisoners. We collate detainee statistics twice a year from our case management system records to provide a snapshot of the number of British national arrest/detention cases reported to us.