Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office on 21 March (138330), whether they will review their position of welcoming Bahrain’s Restorative Justice Law for Children, in light of the conclusions of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Bahrain, published on 4 March.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK draws on a wide range of sources when assessing human rights issues in Bahrain. We continue to believe that the Restorative Justice Law for Children provides greater protections for children's rights than the law it replaces and is consistent with Article 37 of the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child. We welcome its entry into force and continue to support Government of Bahrain efforts to ensure the law is fully and effectively implemented.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the conclusions of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Bahrain, published on 4 March, what assessment they have made of those findings; and what representations will they make for the immediate, and unconditional, release of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Naji Fateel from prison.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK draws on a wide range of sources when assessing human rights issues in Bahrain and regularly raises these and individual cases with the Government of Bahrain, at senior levels, both in private and public. We encourage those with concerns to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body and continue to encourage them to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the conclusions of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on Bahrain, published on 4 March, what assessment they have made of the independence of the National Institute for Human Rights (NIHR) in Bahrain; and what are the implications of this assessment for their support of the NIHR through the Gulf Strategy Fund.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK draws on a wide range of sources when making its assessment of Bahrain's independent oversight bodies. The UK does not (currently) provide support for the National Institute for Human Rights through the Gulf Strategy Fund.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office plan to issue new procurement guidance to exclude surveillance camera suppliers linked with (1) modern slavery, and (2) human rights violations; and whether this will apply to public bodies in the education sector.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer to his question HL6759. Comprehensive commercial policy and guidance to identify and tackle modern slavery and labour abuse risks throughout the commercial life cycle is a Cabinet Office lead.
The Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. The Cabinet Office published in Procurement Policy Note 05/19 comprehensive commercial policy and guidance to identify and tackle modern slavery and labour abuse risks throughout the commercial life cycle. This advocates a risk based approach and applies to central government, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies. Other public sector contracting authorities may wish to apply the approach set out in this PPN. This is being updated to strengthen the guidance on using the existing grounds in the Public Contracts Regulations for excluding suppliers, and will set out enhanced means of proof and due diligence activities. This will be published in due course.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which, if any, human rights abuses in Bahrain Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed with the King of Bahrain at their meeting on 13 February.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Bahrain is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country. We regularly discuss human rights issues and individual cases with senior members of the Government of Bahrain, as well as with the independent human rights oversight bodies. The visit to Bahrain from 13-14 February by the Minister of State for South and Central Asia, UN and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad was a further opportunity to do so.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of claims in the Politics Home article, ‘Bahrain-Linked “Think Tank” Accused Of Trying To "Silence" MPs and Peers Raising Human Rights Abuses’, published on 18 January, that the Gulf Centre of Strategic Studies has made undue attempts to dissuade Members of Parliament from raising concerns over Bahrain’s human rights record; and what meetings, if any, they have had with representatives from the Centre.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We draw on a wide variety of sources in making an assessment of Bahrain's human rights record. Our annual Human Rights Report, published last in July 2021 contains our most recent assessment - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-rights-and-democracy-report-2020. We have no record of meeting the Gulf Centre of Strategic Studies.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by (1) Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 23 November 2021 (HL3907), (2) the Minister for Europe on 19 November 2021 (UIN72473), and (3) the Minister for Europe on 9 December 2021 (UIN85206), for what reason they will not disclose the most recent date or dates when they raised the case of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace with their counterparts in Bahrain.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to monitor and regularly raise the cases of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace and others with the Bahraini Government as well as with the independent oversight bodies. We encourage those with concerns to raise them directly with the relevant oversight bodies.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Bahrain regarding the reported detention of six children without clear justification or allowing their parents to be present during questioning.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the entry into force in August 2021 of the Restorative Justice Law for Children and support Bahraini Government efforts to ensure the law is fully and effectively implemented. It would not be appropriate to comment further on the specific case mentioned while it is sub judice. We encourage those with concerns to raise them directly with the relevant oversight bodies.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed the imprisonment of activist Abduljalil Al Singace with the government of Bahrain; and if so, when was the most recent discussion.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to monitor and raise the case of Dr Abduljalil al-Singace and others as necessary, with the Bahraini Government as well as with the oversight bodies.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have discussed the death sentence of Zuhair Ibrahim Jasim Abdullah with the government of Bahrain; and if so, when was the most recent discussion.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Ministers and our officials have consistently reiterated the UK's opposition to the use of the death penalty, in all circumstances, with the Bahraini Government.