Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the arrest of an archbishop in Armenia on 4 December, what assessment they have made of religious freedom in that country, and what discussions they have had with the government of Armenia about that issue.

I refer the Lord Bishop to the answer provided in the House of Commons on 17 November in response to Question 89462, which - for ease of reference - is reproduced below:

The UK is monitoring the situation between the Armenian Government and the Armenian Apostolic Church. We expect all actions to comply with Armenia's constitutional and legal framework, allowing due process to take its course and ensuring that all individuals are treated fairly under the law, with judicial proceedings remaining transparent and impartial. The UK Government remains firmly committed to promoting and protecting the right to freedom of religion or belief worldwide.

Ministers and officials have regularly discussed a range of issues with our Armenian counterparts.