Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with the authorities in Chechnya on (a) freedom of religion and (b) respect for human rights.

​Both the Foreign Secretary and I raised our concerns about the human rights situation in Russia, with an emphasis on Chechnya, during our respective visits to Moscow in December. The government has not had any direct discussions with the Chechen authorities.

We provide financial and moral support to NGOs and civil society across Russia at a time when they are facing growing pressure. We currently provide funding to a number of NGOs working to counter violent extremism and promote human rights and the rule of law in North Caucasus. The Foreign Secretary received a briefing from these organisations as part of his visit to Moscow on 22 December.