Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations have been or will be made to relevant Bahraini government officials about the arrest and detention of the Al-Wefaq Secretary-General Sheikh Ali Salman.

We are following closely the arrest and ongoing detention of Sheikh Ali Salman. My Rt Hon and noble Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Baroness Anelay raised the case with the Minister for Justice on 14 January. We encourage the government of Bahrain to ensure that due process is followed. We urge all sides to remain calm and avoid any action that might escalate tensions.