Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Turkish counterpart on upholding freedom of speech in that country.

We have long encouraged Turkey to work towards the full protection of fundamental rights, particularly in the area of freedom of expression. We will continue to engage the Turkish government on these issues and to urge respect for media freedom, which is essential to the long-term health of Turkish democracy.