Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, on how many occasions the UK Ambassador to Ethiopia has been afforded a consular visit to Mr Andargachew Tsige; and when it is intended that the next such visit will take place.

Our Ambassador in Ethiopia has been granted consular access to Mr Andargachew Tsege on two occasions and Ministers have repeatedly raised this consular case with the Ethiopian Government. The UK government’s aim is to have regular and private consular access to Mr Tsege. This has not been forthcoming despite repeated requests. We will continue to urge the Government of Ethiopia to allow this, along with a guarantee that legal due process will be followed and confirmation that the death penalty imposed on him in absentia will not be carried out.