Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Armenia on tackling the transit of goods from (a) western countries to Russia and (b) Russia to western countries through Armenia in order to circumvent sanctions.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I raised the issue of Russian sanctions evasion with the Armenian Foreign Minister on 11 April, in the margins of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, as I have with other international partners. The UK Government has issued tailored guidance to UK exporters working with businesses in several countries, including Armenia, to raise awareness of the risks associated with sanctions circumvention and to support compliance with UK sanctions law. The UK Government has also recently published guidance for non-UK businesses operating in countries where there is a heightened risk of circumvention of UK sanctions. This guidance has been translated into local languages including Armenian.
As I have reiterated in my conversations with international partners, including Armenia, maintaining vigilance against Russian sanctions evasion is critical. Any circumvention undermines the effectiveness of international pressure on Russia and risks prolonging the war in Ukraine. I am pleased to see an ongoing decrease in Common High Priority (CHP) items exported from Armenia to Russia over the course of the past year.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has submitted any recent human rights reports to the UN on China's regulation of (a) religious education and (b) clergy training.
Answered by Catherine West
Chinese regulations on religious activity severely restrict religious and cultural expression in China. This Government stands firm on human rights, including the right to freedom of religion or belief.
We continue to uphold the right to freedom of religion or belief through our position at the UN, G7 and other multilateral fora. We have raised these concerns recently with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights. We also joined an Australia-led joint statement at the UN General Assembly in October 2024 on freedoms in the Xinjiang and Tibetan regions, calling out the erosion of educational and religious rights and freedoms in China.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of recent reports of the (a) detention and (b) deportation of members of the Baha'i community in Qatar; what representations he has made to his Qatari counterpart on the protection of religious minorities in that country; and what steps he is taking to support international efforts to (i) promote religious freedom and (ii) protect minority communities in the region.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is a strong advocate for freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. As part of the UN Universal Periodic Review in November 2024, the UK called on Qatar to adopt legislation to ensure non-discrimination on the grounds of disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or belief.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the challenges girls and young women in north-east Nigeria face who (a) have escaped Boko Haram captivity and (b) according to recent reports experience (i) unlawful detention and (ii) inadequate support from (A) the military and (B) government authorities following their escape.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In North East Nigeria, women and girls face severe challenges due to gender-based vulnerabilities, including heightened risks of sexual violence such as rape, exploitation, and forced marriage. Boko Haram has frequently abducted women and girls for sexual slavery. Conflict-driven displacement further increases these dangers. We welcomed Nigeria's endorsement of both the Call to Action and the Murad Code as crucial steps for greater practical action to tackle Conflict Related Sexual Violence (CRSV). We continue to urge Nigeria to ensure the detention of all children, including those linked to armed groups, aligns with international juvenile standards. The UK also calls for urgent action to protect those at risk of conflict-related sexual violence, particularly in displacement camps. Through the Integrated Security Fund, the UK supports efforts to protect and empower women and girls in the region. This includes deploying senior policing experts to work with Borno State Police, enhancing investigations into sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and improving forensic evidence collection.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department is taking to tackle the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in (a) Pakistan and (b) other countries; and what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Pakistan on human rights for Ahmadi Muslims.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement overseas. In March 2025, I raised the rights of Ahmadi Muslims in a meeting with Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior. In June 2025, ahead of Eid al-Adha, I also raised the safety and dignity of Ahmadis seeking to practice their faith with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister. Working with the Special Envoy for FoRB, David Smith MP, we continue to champion the right to FoRB around the world - promoting tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral organisations, our bilateral work, and our programme funding.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Sri Lankan counterpart on the recent excavations of a mass grave of Chemmani in Sri Lanka.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK Government is deeply concerned by the recent discovery of the mass grave in Chemmani. We remain committed to supporting accountability for human rights violations and we regularly meet the Government of Sri Lanka to discuss reconciliation and accountability and to press for tangible progress, particularly on cases of enforced disappearances. In January, I visited Sri Lanka and met a range of stakeholders including the Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, civil society organisations, as well as political leaders in the north of Sri Lanka to discuss human rights. Officials at our High Commission in Colombo maintain close contact with families of the disappeared from across the country, working to ensure their voices are heard, and have raised this issue with the Government of Sri Lanka. We continue to lead international efforts such as at the UN Human Rights Council alongside the Core Group to ensure perpetrators are held to account.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on compensation for the relatives of British aid workers killed while delivering humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Prime Minister and I recently met with the families of British aid workers killed in Gaza.
The Government's priority is securing justice for the appalling strike that killed John Chapman, James Henderson, and James Kirby. We continue to press Israel to swiftly conclude the Military Advocate General's (MAG) investigation into consideration of events on the 1 April 2024, including determining whether criminal proceedings should be initiated. The Foreign Secretary has repeatedly pressed Foreign Affairs Minister Sa'ar and Minister of Strategic Affairs Dermer for the MAG to conclude consideration of the case swiftly and thoroughly.
We have advised the families on their legal options for claiming compensation and that is a matter for them to pursue independently through the Israeli legal system.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for its policies on the protection of religious minorities of the recent killing of Dr Sheikh Mahmood in Pakistan; and what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on encouraging transparent investigations into such incidents.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Promoting the rights of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I discussed the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan's Minister of State for Interior in March 2025. In June 2025, ahead of Eid al-Adha, I raised the safety and dignity of Ahmadis with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister. Our High Commission in Islamabad has raised the tragic killing of Dr Sheikh Mahmood with the Human Rights Minister and the Chief Minister of Punjab. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to fully investigate incidents of violence, prosecute those responsible and provide justice to victims and their families.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of reports of alleged (a) human rights violations, (b) claims of late night police summons without official notice, (c) unauthorised home visits and surveillance activities against Hindu activists in India; and what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in India on (i) human rights and (ii) civil liberties in that country.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK Government takes all allegations of human rights violations very seriously. The UK Government has a broad, deep and respectful partnership with the Government of India. This includes sharing perspectives on human rights and minority issues and finding common ground.
Our High Commission in New Delhi and our network across India monitor human rights across the country, including reports of discrimination against minorities, or issues relating to Freedom of Religion or Belief. We engage Indian stakeholders on a range of human rights matters, working with Union and State Governments, and with civil society. This includes raising issues of concern where we have them, including at Ministerial level, where appropriate.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will have discussions with his Nigerian counterpart on the closure of churches in the Kabylia regions of Northern Nigeria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all, including in the Kabylia regions of Northern Algeria. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe. Our Embassy in Algiers raises FoRB with the Algerian authorities, doing so most recently when our Ambassador met the Minister of Religious Affairs on 10 February. Our Embassy remains in regular contact with minority religious groups on how best to support FoRB. We will continue to raise the issue and advocate for freedom of expression for all, including in Kabylie and for the operation of the Protestant Church of Algeria.