Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to recent reports by the Human Rights Association of Turkey, what steps he is taking to help support democracy and the rule of law in Turkey.

Ministers and our Ambassador to Turkey regularly emphasise to the Turkish Government the need to respect the human rights of all its citizens, and to support the rule of law. At the UN Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review of Turkey earlier this year, the UK raised our concerns about the situation in Turkey. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister responsible for human rights, has also raised our concerns with the Turkish Ambassador to the UK. We will continue to engage the Turkish Government on these important issues, as well as with civil society, and be clear in our expectation that Turkey live up to its human rights obligations, which are essential to the long-term health of Turkish democracy.