Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations the Government has made to the government of Saudi Arabia in support of the release of Waleed Abulkhair from prison in that country.

We are aware of the case of Walid abu Al-Khair and follow it closely. We will continue to maintain a regular dialogue with the Saudi authorities on a range of human rights issues, including of human rights defenders. While our Embassy officials in Riyadh have had some contact with human rights defenders, it is often the view of defenders that involvement with foreign representatives and organisations can make their task of pressing for reform harder.