Pakistan: Coronavirus

(asked on 2nd June 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 19 May (HL4378), when they intend to raise with the government of Pakistan the release of prisoners of conscience in relation to the threat of COVID-19 to detainees in prisons in Pakistan.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 16th June 2020

We have not raised the issue of release of prisoners in light of COVID-19. We have discussed the impact of COVID-19 in Pakistan regularly with senior officials of the Government of Pakistan. We continue to raise human rights and to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of its citizens, regardless of their belief. Most recently, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon raised our concerns about Human Rights in Pakistan by letter with Dr Mazari on 5 June. We remain concerned about the situation for prisoners in detention under trial in Pakistan, particularly for blasphemy cases.

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