Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she had with her Cabinet colleagues in advance of the United Nations pledging summit on Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis, about the UK’s ongoing response to the refugee crisis.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Ahead of the UN Afghanistan Pledging Conference, UK officials held broad-ranging discussions, including on the impact of the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan on refugees, with UN donor partners, NGOs, financial institutions and other government departments.
The UK has supported over 3,700 individuals to leave Afghanistan since the end of Op PITTING. We'll continue to work to ensure those still in Afghanistan are able to depart the country safely. This includes holding the Taliban to their commitment to ensure safe passage.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department held discussions with the Scottish Refugee Council in advance of the United Nations pledging summit on Afghanistan’s humanitarian crisis.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
UK officials regularly engage with NGOs, donor partners and financial institutions, including through round table discussions. Several NGOs were engaged in the run up to the UN Afghan Pledging Conference, particularly those working in humanitarian assistance and essential basic services in Afghanistan, however, this did not include the Scottish Refugee Council.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the extent to which conditions attached to the release of political activists (a) Loujain al-Hathloul, (b) Nouf Abdelaziz and (c) Mayaa al-Zahrani from prison in Saudi Arabia are consistent with international human rights standards.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We welcome the release of remaining prominent female Women's Rights Defenders in June 2021. In the same month, British Embassy Riyadh raised concern about the conditions attached to the release of some of the women's rights defenders with the Saudi Human Rights Commission. We regularly raise human rights issues and individual cases with the Saudi authorities.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of Saudi Arabian use of a Specialised Criminal Court for the prosecution of human rights defenders and political activists; and if she will make representations to her Saudi Arabian counterpart of the detention of (a) Israa al-Ghomghan, (b) Mousa al-Hashim, (c) Khaled al-Mahoush, (d) Mohammed al-Rabiah, (e) Khaled al-Omair and (f) Ali Mohsen Abu Lahoum in that country.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK remains concerned over the arrests and continued detention of a number of individuals, particularly those detained for expressing their political views. Lord Ahmad discussed referrals to the Specialised Criminal Court with the Saudi Justice Minister on 7 February 2022. We regularly raise human rights issues and individual cases with the Saudi authorities.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the extent to which Saudi Arabian legislation on (a) counter-terrorism, (b) cybercrime and (c) associations and foundations complies with international human rights standards.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Counter-terrorism (CT) cooperation with Saudi Arabia is important to UK national security. All security cooperation is subject to rigorous Overseas Security and Justice Assessments (OSJA) to ensure compliance with UK and international human rights standards.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of proposals for judicial reform in Saudi Arabia announced by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in February 2021.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The UK welcomes the judicial reforms announced by the Saudi Crown Prince in February 2021. The Secretary of State for Justice Dominic Raab, and Lord Ahmad, Minister responsible for Human Rights in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, discussed judicial reform with the Saudi Justice Minister on 25 January 2022. Judicial reforms were also discussed during Lord Ahmad's visit to Saudi Arabia on 7 February 2022.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions her Department held on human rights (a) concerns and (b) cases during their recent visit to Bahrain.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Bahrain is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country. Our annual Human Rights Report, published last in July 2021, contains our most recent assessment. 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: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made for the implications of her policy of the human rights situation in Bahrain following the recent visit of her Ministerial colleague to Bahrain.
Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Bahrain is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country. Our annual Human Rights Report, published last in July 2021, contains our most recent assessment. 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: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether (a) she and (b) officials in her Department have raised concerns with their Jordanian counterparts on reported violations of media freedom (a) in that country generally and (b) in connection with the intimidation and detention of Syrian journalists in exile there, such as Syrian freelance journalist Ibrahim Awwad.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Jordan is a valued partner of the UK and we maintain a close dialogue with the Government of Jordan and Jordanian civil society. This includes discussion of human rights issues and media freedom. We are aware of the reported arrest of Ibrahim Awwad. The UK continues to encourage compliance with Jordan's international human rights obligations and supports efforts being made by the Jordanian Government and civil society to that end.
The FCDO remains committed to the Global Media Freedom campaign launched in 2018. Through the UK's co-chairing of the Media Freedom Coalition we are working to improve media freedom internationally. The Coalition is taking action to defend media freedom including through statements on the deteriorating situation for media across the globe. We do not currently fund projects in Jordan focused specifically on media freedom.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of media freedom in Jordan; and whether her Department has allocated specific funding for the promotion and protection of media freedom in that country.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
Jordan is a valued partner of the UK and we maintain a close dialogue with the Government of Jordan and Jordanian civil society. This includes discussion of human rights issues and media freedom. We are aware of the reported arrest of Ibrahim Awwad. The UK continues to encourage compliance with Jordan's international human rights obligations and supports efforts being made by the Jordanian Government and civil society to that end.
The FCDO remains committed to the Global Media Freedom campaign launched in 2018. Through the UK's co-chairing of the Media Freedom Coalition we are working to improve media freedom internationally. The Coalition is taking action to defend media freedom including through statements on the deteriorating situation for media across the globe. We do not currently fund projects in Jordan focused specifically on media freedom.