Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to make an assessment of Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law in the context of its airstrikes in the Israeli-designated safe zone in Al-Mawasi in southern Gaza on 13 July 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 2 September 2024 we suspended export licences to Israel for use in military operations in Gaza, following a review into Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) which concluded there was a clear risk that some UK exports might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of IHL. Our ongoing IHL assessments are informed by legal advice, and supported by a detailed evidence base, including reporting and analysis from international bodies, Non-Governmental Organisations and partner countries and analysis of military incidents - including airstrikes - verified through an independent third-party provider. The assessments continue to raise concerns about possible breaches of IHL in the areas of humanitarian access and in the treatment of detainees. The lack of sufficient verifiable evidence about individual incidents means that in the majority of cases we are unable to reach a determination of Israel's compliance. However, our findings in relation to conduct in other areas give us cause for concern about Israel's overall commitment to IHL, including in the conduct of hostilities.
We are appalled by civilian casualties in Gaza and urgently call for an immediate return to a ceasefire. All parties must re-engage with negotiations to get hostages out, surge aid, and secure a permanent end to this conflict.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will use one of the three formal recommendations of the UK to the upcoming UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on Egypt to advocate for the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made (a) to his Egyptian counterpart and (b) to the President of Egypt on the safe release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Egyptian counterpart on the safe release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah during his visit to Egypt.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will visit Alaa Abd el-Fattah during his visit to Egypt.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January. The UK will use the upcoming Universal Periodic Review on Egypt in January to raise issues relating to human rights. The Egyptian government does not recognise Mr El-Fattah as a British national and are refusing consular access. UK Government representatives are therefore unable to visit him in prison or communicate with him directly.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Pakistani government to secure the safe release of Imran Khan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary met with Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on 24 October to discuss a range of key issues, including Pakistan's domestic political situation and Imran Khan's detention. I also raised this on my recent visit to Pakistan. While Pakistan's judicial processes are a domestic matter, we have been very clear that the Pakistani authorities need to respect fundamental freedoms, including the right to a fair trial, due process and humane detention. This applies to Imran Khan as it does to all Pakistan's citizens.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
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 potential implications for his policies of the human rights situation in Islamabad, in the context of reports of deaths and mass detentions of protesters from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on 26 and 27 November 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly supports individuals' rights to expression without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations should be fully investigated in line with international human rights law. I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and Interior Minister, on my visit to Pakistan last month. The British High Commission also regularly raises these issues with the Pakistani authorities at a senior level.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make representations to his Pakistani counterpart for an independent investigation into the deaths of civilians in Islamabad on 26 and 27 November 2024.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK strongly supports individuals' rights to expression without censorship, intimidation or unnecessary restriction. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations should be fully investigated in line with international human rights law. I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and Interior Minister, on my visit to Pakistan last month. The British High Commission also regularly raises these issues with the Pakistani authorities at a senior level.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on deaths of Palestinians in Israeli custody since October 2023.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We are aware of reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees in military detention. The UK Government is clear that administrative detention should only be used when it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released.
Asked by: Zarah Sultana (Your Party - Coventry South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on reports of torture of Palestinians in Israeli custody.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
We are aware of reports of ill-treatment of Palestinian detainees in military detention. The UK Government is clear that administrative detention should only be used when it is justified in accordance with international law. Those under detention should either be charged or released.