Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that accurate information is available concerning the recent conflict in Tigray, Ethiopia.

We are concerned by instances of media personnel being detained or harassed in Tigray and have lobbied alongside the international community to secure their release. We are also concerned about limitations to access, including the revocation of media licenses, and access to information and communication networks. A free and independent media in Ethiopia is vital to protect human rights. The lack of telephone and internet services in Tigray is hampering humanitarian relief and extending the suffering of the 4.5 million people in Tigray in desperate need.

We continue to raise the importance of political and media freedoms with senior officials, and did so directly with Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister Demeke on the 5 March. We continue to call for the restoration of communication services in Tigray. We will continue to champion open and free political expression in the run up to the 5 June elections in the country.