Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu on freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.
Answered by Catherine West
The UK Government proactively raises cases where blasphemy legislation has been used to restrict human rights with the Nigerian authorities and opposes the death penalty in all circumstances, including in the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu. We will continue to raise Mr Sharif-Aminu's case as he appeals his sentence. Dialogue on human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), is a vital part of the UK's partnership with Nigeria. The right of individuals to express their beliefs or non-belief is essential to a free and open society.
Asked by: Baroness O'Loan (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to bring a case against Iran before the International Court of Justice for crimes against the people of Iran.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are not currently bringing a case against Iran at the International Court of Justice relating to its human rights record. We continue to engage international partners on the best approach for holding Iran accountable for its continued violations; we were instrumental in delivering the Iran resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2024, which spotlighted and condemned Iran's repression of fundamental rights, including in relation to the death penalty, women and girls, and religious and ethnic minorities. We continue to support the UN Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, which is essential for investigating alleged crimes by the Islamic Republic against protesters during nationwide protests in 2022-23, and we look forward to its next report in March 2025.
Asked by: Baroness O'Loan (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Iran to desist from human rights abuses in that country.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We continue to take significant action in multilateral fora to urge the Islamic Republic to cease its human rights violations, including at the UN Human Rights Council and UN Third Committee. We were instrumental in delivering the Iran Resolution, adopted by the Third Committee in November 2024, which spotlighted and condemned Iran's continued violations, including in relation to the death penalty, women and girls, and religious and ethnic minorities. In January 2025, the Foreign Secretary raised human rights directly with his Iranian counterpart. We will continue to raise rights issues directly with the regime, including through our Ambassador in Tehran.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they intend to make to the government of Iran concerning the execution sentences of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are aware of the reports relating to the death sentences of Behrouz Ehsani and Mehdi Hassani. We have repeatedly called on Iran to establish a moratorium on executions, including at the UN Human Rights Council and UN Third Committee last year. We continue to raise human rights issues directly with the Iranian government, including through our Ambassador in Tehran, and are committed to working with international partners to expose Iran's application of the death penalty in multilateral fora.
Asked by: Baroness O'Loan (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of Iran concerning ending executions in that country.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle. We have repeatedly called on the Iranian government to establish a moratorium on executions, including at the UN Human Rights Council and UN Third Committee last year. We are committed to working with international partners to hold Iran accountable for its egregious use of the death penalty.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations, if any, they intend to make to the government of Iran concerning the execution sentence of Pakhshan Azizi.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We condemn the Islamic Republic's unacceptable treatment of Pakhshan Azizi and other human rights defenders facing the death penalty in Iran. We have repeatedly called on the Iranian government to establish a moratorium on executions, including at the UN Human Rights Council, and have raised rights issues directly with the regime through our Ambassador in Tehran. In November 2024, the UK and international partners delivered a resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee which called on Iran to release women human rights defenders imprisoned for exercising their rights.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith and Chiswick)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Prime Minister raised the use of the death penalty for offences that do not meet international standards for the most serious crimes during his meeting with the (a) Prime Minister and (b) Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer the Hon Member to the read-out of the meeting.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Saudi counterpart on the (a) policy and (b) scale of capital punishment in that country.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK opposes the death penalty in all circumstances as our joint statement with the EU on World Day Against the Death Penalty made clear. The Saudi authorities are well aware of our opposition. As the Minister for the Middle East, I raised Saudi human rights during my recent visit to the Kingdom.
Asked by: Christine Jardine (Liberal Democrat - Edinburgh West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart about (a) freedom of religion in that country and (b) the case of Ehsan Shan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan. I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Azam Tarar on 19 November. On 20 November, I attended a meeting with Pakistan's Minister of Interior Mosin Naqvi, where the British High Commissioner and I raised concerns about threats of violence directed towards Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan. Officials at the British High Commission Islamabad regularly raise our concerns surrounding the mistreatment of minorities with the Pakistani authorities, including law enforcement officials. We regularly raise our opposition to the death penalty and concerns about the misuse of blasphemy laws, both in principle and in relation to specific cases.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to authorities in Bahrain regarding allegations of mistreatment, suspension of telephone calls, and solitary confinement of (1) Mohamed Ramadan, (2) Zuhair Ebrahim Jasim Abdullah, (3) Mohamed Radhi Hasan, and (4) Husain Ebrahim Marzooq, who are on death row in Jau Prison.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We continue to discuss the use of the death penalty with the Bahrain authorities and have not made representations recently on the cases mentioned. We are aware that investigations are ongoing into allegations of mistreatment.