Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last made representations to the government of Zimbabwe regarding the whereabouts of the political and human rights activist, Itai Dzamara, who was abducted on 9 March.

The UK Government frequently raises human rights with the government of Zimbabwe including specific issues such as the disappearance of Itai Dzamara or the disproportionate response of the police to peaceful protesters. EU Member States released a statement on 9 March to mark the one year anniversary of Itai Dzamara's disappearance and another on 12 July to express concern at the reports of human rights abuses during and in the aftermath of protests. The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) raised human rights when he met Zimbabwe Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa on 5 July; the Department for International Development Permanent Secretary Mark Lowcock raised human rights with Mr Chinamasa on 8 October; the British Ambassador to Harare raised human rights with the Zimbabwean Minister for Information, Media and Broadcasting on 18 October.