Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether Bahrain’s Special Investigation Unit is sufficiently independent to conduct an impartial investigation into the death of Sayed Mohammed al-Mousawi.

As I have said to the Noble Lord in previous answers, we are aware of the cases referenced in these questions. The UK maintains a constructive and longstanding relationship with Bahrain, enabling frank discussion on a range of issues including human rights. We recognise the important role of the Special Investigation Unit within Bahrain's oversight framework and note that an officer has been sentenced in relation to the death of Sayed Mohammed al-Mousawi.

The Gulf Strategy Fund (GSF) programme for the financial year 2025/26 supported a wide range of UK strategic objectives in Bahrain. This included support to security institutions in progressing community justice reforms and exploring avenues of cooperation to counter money laundering and terrorist-financing. All GSF programming is subject to rigorous assessments to ensure it meets with human rights obligations and our values.