Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, with reference to the publication by the Human Rights Watch on the sentencing of 13 people to prison in Bahrain, published on 6 December 2023, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Bahrain on due process.

The FCDO continues to follow matters that relate to human rights in Bahrain closely and is aware of reporting about the court proceedings referenced. We have previously been assured in other cases (where individuals linked to one charge are tried together) that an individual's right to separate legal representation of their choice is guaranteed by law. The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to meet its international and domestic human rights commitments.