Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Turkish Government on the suppression of human rights.

The Foreign Secretary and I have regular discussions with our Turkish counterparts on human rights. We consistently encourage the Turkish Government to uphold the rule of law, to respect fundamental freedoms such a freedom of expression and to adhere to its international obligations. In addition the British Embassy in Ankara provides project support to a number of Turkish civil society organisations working in the area of fundamental freedoms. In recent years we have funded projects on supporting the freedom of expression, promoting women’s and minority rights, and tackling human trafficking.