Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received about the reasons for the imprisonment of the Bahrain 13.

The Government welcomed the decision to review these cases in a civilian court and the drop all charges relating to freedom of expression in 2012, but we understand that other serious charges against the individuals remain. At the time that these individuals were originally convicted, reports acknowledged by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry suggested that some defendants had been abused in detention, denied access to legal counsel and coerced into confessing. We continue to encourage the Government of Bahrain to meet all its human rights obligations and guarantee its citizens the fundamental liberties to which they are entitled.