Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps in response to reports of religious oppression in Kabylie, in the context of the designation of Algeria by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom as a Special Watch List country.

The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all. It is our firm opinion that no one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe. The British Embassy in Algiers raises FoRB with the Algerian authorities, doing so most recently when the Ambassador met the Minister of Religious Affairs on 10 February. The Embassy remains in regular contact with religious groups on how best to support FoRB. We will continue to raise the issue and advocate for freedom of expression, including in Kabylie and regarding the operation of the Protestant Church of Algeria.