Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the visit made by the UK Ambassador to Bahrain to Jau Prison in Bahrain on 3 May 2021, whether the UK Ambassador raised issues of human rights including the (a) enforced disappearance and incommunicado detention of over 50 inmates following police violence on 17 April 2021 and (b) cases of high profile political prisoners including (i) Sheikh Ali Salman, (ii) Abdulhaldi AlKhawaja, (iii) Hassan Mushaima and (iv) Dr Abduljalil AlSingace.

The FCDO considers a range of information regarding human rights in Bahrain. The visit to Jau prison on 3 May enabled the UK Ambassador and other international representatives to see the facilities at Jau prison first hand, understand the Covid-19 measures implemented, and raise human rights matters with the government of Bahrain. We continue to raise specific cases as and when we have concerns.