Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the letter sent by UN Human Rights special rapporteurs to the government of Iran on 3 September about the alleged extrajudicial mass executions of political dissidents in 1988 in Iran; and what plans they have to support the call for an international investigation into reports of such executions in prisons perpetrated by that government.

We read the letter of 3 September with deep concern. The UK Government opposes the use of the death penalty in all circumstances and takes any allegations of extrajudicial killings seriously. We strongly support the work done by the Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran, and have always been clear that Iran must uphold its international legal obligations, including conducting thorough and independent investigations into suspected human rights violations.

We regularly raise human rights with the Iranians at all levels and we continue to take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record. Furthermore, we urge Iran to allow the Special Rapporteur access to the country, so that he can conduct research and investigations into human rights concerns reported there, including the 1988 incident.