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 of the political and human rights situation in Egypt.
Answered by Vicky Ford
Our strong bilateral relationship with Egypt allows us to raise human rights concerns frankly when we have them. These rights and freedoms are essential for Egypt’s long-term stability, and we call on Egypt to implement its new human rights strategy. We welcome Egypt lifting its state of emergency, and will monitor closely what this decision means in practice.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if she will make representations to the Emirati government to invite independent impartial human rights monitoring bodies, including UN thematic special procedures, to that country and allow those bodies to visit detention centres and detainees.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We encourage all states, including the United Arab Emirates, to uphold international human rights obligations. We believe that the best approach is to engage with Governments and work with international partners and civil society organisations to bring about positive change. Officials have raised cases in which there are allegations of human rights abuses with Emirati 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 and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the report by Sir David Calvert-Smith entitled, Undue influence: the UAE and Interpol, published in April 2021, and the candidacy of Emirati Major General Nasser Ahmed al-Raisi for the Interpol presidency, what assessment (a) she and (b) officials in her Department have made of evidence in that report that the UAE misused the Interpol Red Notice system for minor offences and political gain against people seen as a threat to the regime.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are aware of this publication. INTERPOL is an independent organisation and is politically neutral in fulfilling its mandate. As with all elections for international organisations, the UK Government will review all candidates for the presidency of INTERPOL and consider our vote carefully. We are committed to the promotion of universal freedoms and human rights and we encourage all states, including the United Arab Emirates, to uphold international human rights obligations.
On 9 September, the Home Secretary with her G7 counterparts committed to strengthening our collective efforts to deter the misuse of INTERPOL notices, to improperly target and detain individuals for exercising their human rights and fundamental freedoms, including through supporting INTERPOL's use of corrective measures, as appropriate and increasing outreach on this issue.
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 specific human rights (a) issues and (b) cases Ministers in his Department raised with the Bahraini prime minister when they met at the COP26 Summit in Glasgow.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We regularly raise human rights issues and individual cases with senior members of the Government of Bahrain, and continue to raise specific cases with senior interlocutors, as well as with the independent human rights oversight bodies.
Asked by: Margaret Ferrier (Independent - Rutherglen and Hamilton West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions (a) she and (b) officials in her Department have had with Emirati counterparts on the treatment, welfare and release of Emirati prisoners of conscience, including academic, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith, human rights defender, Ahmed Mansoor and human rights lawyer, Mohammed al-Roken.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We are aware the cases of Ahmed Mansoor, Dr Nasser bin Ghaith and Mohammed al-Roken and the allegations of human rights abuses against them. Officials have raised such cases with the Emirati authorities, including with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador in London. We encourage all states, including the UAE, to uphold international human rights obligations.
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, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) officials in her Department have made representations to their Bahraini counterparts in each of the last three months on the case of imprisoned human rights defender, Dr Abuljalil AlSingace.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
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: 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 the implications for its policies of the continued detention of human rights activists Dr Mohammed Fahad al-Qahtani, Mohamed Al-Otaibi and Mohammed al-Rabea; and what representations her Department has made on those cases to relevant stakeholders in the last year.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September 2020. It called for the release of all political detainees in Saudi Arabia, and noted concern over reports of torture, enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention. On 26 October 2021, Lord Ahmad spoke to the President of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, and raised a number of human rights issues, including specific cases and women's rights defenders.
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 has received representations on private jets owned by Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund being used for travel to and from Istanbul by Saudi agents responsible for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October 2018.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has always been clear that Jamal Khashoggi's murder was a terrible crime. We condemn his killing in the strongest possible terms, which is why we have sanctioned twenty Saudi nationals involved in the murder under the global human rights regime. The former Foreign Secretary raised the killing of Jamal Khashoggi during his visit to Riyadh last year, and we continue to raise it in our engagement 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 or her Department's officials raised the cases of political detainees, prisoners of conscience and other human rights concerns with officials from (a) the English Premier League and (b) Newcastle United Football Club in connection with the proposed purchase of that Club by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s public investment fund.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Department has had no contact with Newcastle United. FCDO officials met English Premier League officials at the latter's request. FCDO officials provided an overview of the UK relationship with Saudi Arabia. FCDO officials were clear that any prospective takeover of Newcastle United was a matter for the two parties concerned.
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 diplomatic steps her Department plans to take in response to the detention of Mr. Abdulrahman al-Sadhan in Saudi Arabia; and if her Department will take steps to monitor reports of torture of that person.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We continue to monitor the case of Mr Abdulrahman al-Sadhan. FCDO Ministers and senior officials regularly raise human rights in our engagement with the Saudi authorities. We have consistently pressed for due process and raised concerns about the use of solitary confinement, lack of family contact and allegations of torture.