Saudi Arabia: Capital Punishment

(asked on 24th April 2019) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the 37 state executions that took place in Saudi Arabia on 23 April 2019, if he will halt arms exports to that country.


Answered by
 Portrait
Mark Field
This question was answered on 1st May 2019

We are very concerned by the 37 executions in Saudi Arabia. The Foreign Secretary raised this matter directly with the Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, HE Minister Al Jubeir, and asked for further information. The British Government oppose the death penalty in all circumstances and in every country, including in Saudi Arabia. We regularly raise human rights concerns, including the use of the death penalty, at the highest levels with the Saudi Arabian authorities.

The UK operates one of the most robust arms export control regimes in the world. All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. Risks around human rights abuses are a key part of our assessment. We keep the situation under constant review.

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