Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made recent representations to the Government of Bahrain on the death sentences imposed by that country on (a) Maher Abbas al-Khabbaz, (b) Sayed Ahmed al-Abar, (c) Zuhair Ebrahim Jasim Abdullah, (d) Husain Ebrahim Ali Husain Marzooq, (e) Husain Moosa, (f) Mohamed Ramadhan, (g) Husain Ali Mehdi and (h) Salman Isa Ali Salman.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
Ministers and officials continue to reiterate the UK's opposition to use of the death penalty, publicly and privately, with senior members of the Bahraini Government. During a visit to Bahrain in July the former Minister for the Middle East met with senior members of the Bahraini Government and discussed human rights issues, including the death penalty where she restated the UK position. Lord Ahmad also met with Bahrain Foreign Minister Dr Abdullatif Al Zayani in July, and again in September during the margins of the UN General Assembly. During the meetings they discussed a number of shared human rights priorities, including specific human rights cases of interest. The UK's position on the use of the death penalty is longstanding and clear. The Government of Bahrain is fully aware of our position.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
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 merits of applying Magnitsky sanctions to senior officials in the Iranian government.
Answered by Gillian Keegan
The UK has over 200 sanctions designations in place against Iran in relation to human rights, nuclear proliferation and terrorism. On 10 October, the UK used the dedicated Iran Human Rights sanctions regime to designate the so-called Morality Police, two of its leaders and five others for serious human rights violations. This brings the total to 85 individuals and two entities sanctioned under that regime. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations, as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations. A full list is available on the UK Sanctions List.
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-sanctions-on-iran-relating-to-human-rights
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
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 potential merits of introducing sanctions under the Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations 2020 against Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al’Khalifa in response to his alleged involvement in the torture of political dissidents in Bahrain.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The alleged involvement of Sheikh Nasser in the torture of political dissidents in Bahrain was previously brought to the attention of the Metropolitan Police Service, which concluded there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a realistic prospect of prosecution. We take allegations or concerns of torture and mistreatment very seriously and will follow up with action, as appropriate. The UK Government unreservedly condemns the use of torture.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether any assessment was made of reports linking Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al’Khalifa to the torture of political dissidents in Bahrain before the Prime Minister met with Sheikh Nasser on 27 May 2022.
Answered by Amanda Milling
The alleged involvement of Sheikh Nasser in the torture of political dissidents in Bahrain was previously brought to the attention of the Metropolitan Police Service, which concluded there was insufficient evidence to proceed with a realistic prospect of prosecution. We take allegations or concerns of torture and mistreatment very seriously and will follow up with action, as appropriate. The UK Government unreservedly condemns the use of torture.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support and protect the endangered Tsaatan tribe in Mongolia; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that support on the survival of those peoples.
Answered by Amanda Milling
We are aware of the issues impacting the livelihood of the Tsaatan people and their reindeer herds. The Mongolian government has been providing social protection measures in recent years to help mitigate these as well as promoting tourism in the Khuvsgul region to provide alternative sources of income for the Tsaatan people. The UK government does not have a bilateral assistance programme in Mongolia.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support and protect the endangered Kalash people in Pakistan; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that support on the survival of those people.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in Pakistan, particularly the most vulnerable, including women, minorities and children, as laid down in the Constitution of Pakistan. The Kalash people live in the Chitral district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (KP). In KP the UK has contributed to education, social protection, and social inclusion programmes, which have benefitted marginalised groups, including the Kalash. For example, teachers working in the Kalash area received training under the UK-supported Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Education Sector Programme. Through the Aawaz II programme, the UK has worked with partners to improve KP's childbirth registration system. Such reforms will ensure that more marginalised groups, including the Kalash, are registered and visible to the Government, and able to access essential services like healthcare and education.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support and protect the endangered (a) Awa and (b) Surui tribes in the Amazon; and what assessment she has made of the effect of that support on the survival of those tribes.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK regularly engages with indigenous leaders and civil society organisations regarding the Amazon. Senior UK Government officials discussed the indigenous lands situation with Brazilian authorities most recently in December 2021. In April 2022 senior representatives from the British Embassy discussed human rights with indigenous leaders from across Brazil as part of the Brazilian National Articulation of Indigenous People.
Our Embassy in Brasilia has hosted conversations with indigenous leaders from Amazonas and Pará, and is in regular contact with the Brazilian National Foundation for Indigenous People (FUNAI), which is responsible for promoting indigenous people's rights and territorial protection in Brazil, including for uncontacted indigenous people to ensure that our own and others' engagement is coordinated. The UK is committed to defending and promoting the human rights of all, and we will continue to monitor developments around indigenous land rights in Brazil.