Saudi Arabia: Executions

Lord Elton Excerpts

Monday 1st February 2016 Lords Chamber

[Lord Elton (Con)]

My Lords, the Minister said that we deplore executions for political reasons in all countries. Have our representations been equally private and powerful with Iran?

[Baroness Anelay of St Johns]

My Lords, of course, our diplomatic relationship with Iran has only recently resumed, and it is important that we are able to nurture it. Iran will be under no misunderstanding about the strength of opinion of the British Government—indeed, of all British Governments in recent decades—that the death penalty is wrong in principle, wrong in practice and can undermine a successful society.