Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of human rights violations and the humanitarian situation in North Korea and whether they intend to raise concerns at the UN Security Council and at the next meeting of the UN Human Rights Council.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as documented by the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in the country. The UK has responded to the report's recommendations by continuing to press for an annual debate in the UN Security Council, and working to secure a robust resolution on the DPRK at the UN Human Rights Council. On 17 August 2023, at the first UNSC open meeting on the human rights situation in the DPRK since 2017, the UK highlighted inextricable links between the DPRK's human rights violations and its illegal weapons programme, and called on the DPRK to engage with the UN Special Rapporteur. This year, the UK will again work closely with partners to secure a strong resolution which stresses the importance of following-up recommendations from the COI Report and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the DPRK.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the tenth anniversary of the Report of the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and what steps they have taken to implement its recommendations.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), as documented by the 2014 UN Commission of Inquiry Report on Human Rights in the country. The UK has responded to the report's recommendations by continuing to press for an annual debate in the UN Security Council, and working to secure a robust resolution on the DPRK at the UN Human Rights Council. On 17 August 2023, at the first UNSC open meeting on the human rights situation in the DPRK since 2017, the UK highlighted inextricable links between the DPRK's human rights violations and its illegal weapons programme, and called on the DPRK to engage with the UN Special Rapporteur. This year, the UK will again work closely with partners to secure a strong resolution which stresses the importance of following-up recommendations from the COI Report and provides the basis for further work on a credible framework for accountability for human rights violations in the DPRK.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to deter Chinese criminal gangs using cryptocurrencies to launder significant sums of money; whether they have made any assessment of the scale of the problem and of the nature and likely efficacy of Chinese anti money laundering laws.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has taken steps to build resilience to economic crime abroad, and passed legislation at home to respond to current and emerging threats. This includes responding to the risks posed by cryptoassets, which we assess remain an important facilitator for criminal transactions, as set out in the National Crime Agency's National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime Threats. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (2023) introduced enhanced powers to seize, freeze, convert and recover cryptoassets. The UK remains vigilant to emerging threats, regardless of where they originate, and will continue to respond comprehensively.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with Sumbul Rizvi, the UNHCR Representative in Bangladesh, regarding the security situation for Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar, in particular regarding any increases of serious protection incidents, including reports of killings, torture, abductions and sexual and gender-based violence; and to what extent they take such matters into account in determining the amount and nature of support they provide to Rohinya refugees there.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned at the increase in serious protection incidents in the refugee camp in Cox's Bazar. The UK regularly discusses protection and security challenges for Rohingya refugees with UNHCR, including what more can be done to try to address these issues through programme interventions, and how to support the Government of Bangladesh in their efforts to ensure security in the camps. UK programming is addressing protection issues in the camps, including helping UNICEF tackle child labour and child marriage, and supporting UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) in preventing and addressing gender-based violence. The UK also supports a consortium of International NGOs, led by Norwegian Refugee Council, to address the drivers and impact of protection incidents.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the appointment of Tom Perriello as a temporary US special envoy for Sudan, when they intend to appoint a new Special Envoy for Sudan.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We do not currently have plans to appoint a new Special Envoy for Sudan. The Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea spends a significant amount of time on efforts to secure peace in Sudan, working closely with other envoys covering Sudan. Our Ambassador to Khartoum - now based in Addis Ababa - continues to engage with key international partners on achieving the UK's strategic objectives, as do other British Ambassadors in the region. We welcome Tom Perriello's appointment as the United States' new special envoy for Sudan, Minister Mitchell spoke with him on Monday 11th March.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the prompt delivery of the pledged £2.5 billion from the sale of Chelsea Football Club to support victims of Russia's invasion of Ukraine; and when they anticipate that this will happen.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC are currently frozen in a UK bank account while independent experts establish a foundation to manage and distribute the money. A licence from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation will then be needed to move the funds to the foundation. We are working as quickly as possible, including with our international partners, to ensure funds are released and reach Ukraine.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the remarks of the chairman of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission that there is a lack of political agreement in South Sudan to enable free and credible elections to take place; and whether they intend to make representations to the government of South Sudan on voter registration and expediting the work of the National Elections Commission.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has taken note of the Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission Chairman's comments and calls on the South Sudanese Government to expand political and civic space. The voices of South Sudan's diverse population, including those who hold opposing views, must be heard to ensure peaceful, credible and inclusive elections. We welcome the passing of South Sudan's National Elections Act in September 2023, but note that this was 13 months behind the transitional government's timelines set out in their Roadmap. We urge the Government of South Sudan to operationalise this law by reconstituting, adequately financing and empowering electoral institutions, including the National Elections Commission.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of concerns about a lack of preparedness for the holding of elections in South Sudan, as expressed in the discussion paper How (not) to hold elections in South Sudan published by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung in April 2023.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Implementation of South Sudan's Peace Agreement, including election preparations, are behind schedule. The UK continues to press for implementation of South Sudan's Peace Agreement and a peaceful transition to democracy through peaceful, credible and inclusive elections. We urge the Government of South Sudan to implement a credible electoral process for elections. Electoral credibility, the opening of political and civic space, empowering the armed forces, and the funding and operationalisation of the electoral institutions are necessary to mitigate the risk of violence and allow elections to be as safe and inclusive as possible.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Tunisia on the imprisonment of Rached Ghannouchi and of other opposition figures.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We monitor the political and human rights situation in Tunisia closely. On 18 April 2023, I [Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon] made clear the UK's view that the wave of arrests, including of Rached Ghannouchi and restrictions on political opposition in Tunisia were eroding the space for plurality. I reiterated this message during my meeting with the Tunisian Foreign Minister on 12 October 2023. The Association Council was also an opportunity for the UK to discuss the principles and benefits of an open and democratic society, of legitimate political opposition, the separation of powers, civil society and an inclusive political process.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to international bodies since 2018 in relation to the human rights situation in Nicaragua; and what sanctions they have imposed upon those most responsible for human rights violations in Nicaragua since 2018.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The suppression of human rights in Nicaragua has been relentless. The UK will continue to call, in bilateral and multilateral settings, for the Nicaraguan government to respect democracy and human rights. On 29 February, the UK made a statement at the 55th session of the Human Rights Council Interactive Dialogue in response to the UN Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua's latest report. In our statement we urged President Ortega to fully respect the human rights of all its citizens. The UK also co-sponsored the side event 'Attacks on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua' on 7 March. Since 2020 the UK has designated 14 Nicaraguan politicians and senior officials including Vice President Murillo, two Directors General of the National Police and the President of the National Assembly under our Nicaragua sanctions regime for violating human rights, repressing civil society and undermining democratic principles and institutions.