Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights implications of previous alleged electoral irregularities and human rights abuses in Bangladesh on the fairness of that country’s forthcoming general election.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that the people of Bangladesh should have the opportunity to freely choose their government. We are concerned at recent violence and the arrest of opposition politicians. We call on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, prevent violence and come together to create the conditions for a free, fair, participatory and peaceful election. Respect for human rights, rule of law and access to justice is essential. Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the FCDO and we regularly raise our human rights issues regarding the treatment of those in detention, including Khaleda Zia, with the Government of Bangladesh.
Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Bangladesh on the release of Khaleda Zia, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader, ahead of the forthcoming general election.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that the people of Bangladesh should have the opportunity to freely choose their government. We are concerned at recent violence and the arrest of opposition politicians. We call on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, prevent violence and come together to create the conditions for a free, fair, participatory and peaceful election. Respect for human rights, rule of law and access to justice is essential. Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the FCDO and we regularly raise our human rights issues regarding the treatment of those in detention, including Khaleda Zia, with the Government of Bangladesh.
Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights implications of the violence taking place in Bangladesh ahead of the forthcoming general election.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that the people of Bangladesh should have the opportunity to freely choose their government. We are concerned at recent violence and the arrest of opposition politicians. We call on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, prevent violence and come together to create the conditions for a free, fair, participatory and peaceful election. Respect for human rights, rule of law and access to justice is essential. Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the FCDO and we regularly raise our human rights issues regarding the treatment of those in detention, including Khaleda Zia, with the Government of Bangladesh.
Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Bangladesh on the need for all political parties and candidates to have equal access to the Bangladesh Electoral Commission during the forthcoming general election.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that the people of Bangladesh should have the opportunity to freely choose their government. We are concerned at recent violence and the arrest of opposition politicians. We call on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, prevent violence and come together to create the conditions for a free, fair, participatory and peaceful election. Respect for human rights, rule of law and access to justice is essential. Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the FCDO and we regularly raise our human rights issues regarding the treatment of those in detention, including Khaleda Zia, with the Government of Bangladesh.
Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights implications of the scale and scope of the arrests of opposition party activists in Bangladesh, and of the impact on the forthcoming general election.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It is important that the people of Bangladesh should have the opportunity to freely choose their government. We are concerned at recent violence and the arrest of opposition politicians. We call on all stakeholders to exercise restraint, prevent violence and come together to create the conditions for a free, fair, participatory and peaceful election. Respect for human rights, rule of law and access to justice is essential. Bangladesh remains a Human Rights Priority Country for the FCDO and we regularly raise our human rights issues regarding the treatment of those in detention, including Khaleda Zia, with the Government of Bangladesh.
Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking as a Guarantor Power on Cyprus to work with relevant authorities to tackle the sharp increase in Islamophobic attacks against Turkish Cypriots in the Republic of Cyprus.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to provide practical or financial assistance (1) to the President of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, and the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, in relation to their work on missing persons, and (2) to the Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Wharton of Yarm (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the arrest of activists and staff from the human rights organisation Viasna on 14 July in Minsk, Belarus; and what representations they plan to make to the government of Belarus about the release of those detained.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As the Foreign Secretary made clear in his public statement on 14 July, this latest assault against human rights organisations and independent media by Lukashenko's regime is a further attempt to crush freedom and stifle debate in Belarus. The Government has called for those detained to be released immediately, along with the hundreds of other people detained on political grounds. The Government has raised our concerns directly to the Belarusian authorities, most recently in the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna on 15 July. The UK stands with the people of Belarus and we will continue to work with our partners to hold those responsible for these human rights abuses to account.