Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps his Department has taken to help protect women human rights defenders around the world from (a) death threats, (b) attacks, (c) defamation campaigns, (d) judicial harassment and (e) criminalisation of their work.
Answered by Mark Field
The UK is committed to supporting all human rights defenders, including women human rights defenders. It is a key element of our work to promote universal human rights. The FCO and DFID work closely together to support human rights defenders. In our statement at the Human Rights Council in response to the Special Rapporteur's report on Human Rights Defenders, the UK acknowledged the stark challenges facing women human rights defenders. In November 2018, we co-sponsored a new UN resolution on Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association which urged States to 'pay particular attention to the safety and protection of women and women human rights defenders from acts of intimidation and harassment'. In 2017, we co-sponsored the UN resolution on Human Rights Defenders to strengthen support for them and the work they do. Throughout 2019 our network of embassies and high commissions will continue to work with human rights defenders, using the UK Guidelines to inform their work. This includes taking into account groups who may face additional risks, such as women and those defending the rights of women. Our work to support human rights defenders can include attending trials, raising cases privately with the host government, making public statements, and lobbying for safe and open space for civil society and human rights defenders to operate. The FCO believes that a decentralised, flexible approach through the Guidelines allows UK diplomats to apply them in the local context of the country to which they are accredited.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has received any assurances from the Government of Saudi Arabia that Abbas al-Hassan and his co-defendants will not be executed.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are closely monitoring these cases. We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities using a range of Ministerial and diplomatic channels of communication, including our Ambassador. It is a longstanding policy of the British Government to oppose the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Saudi Arabia on the case of Abbas al-Hassan and his co-defendants and the Government's opposition to their execution since the beginning of 2019.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are closely monitoring these cases. We regularly raise our human rights concerns with the Saudi Arabian authorities using a range of Ministerial and diplomatic channels of communication, including our Ambassador. It is a longstanding policy of the British Government to oppose the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether officials in his Department have plans to raise the human rights situation in Egypt at the next UN Human Rights Council session.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We have continuing concerns about the human rights situation in Egypt, and raise these regularly with the Egyptian authorities. We and our partners have previously highlighted our concerns in the UN Human Rights Council, and we will do so again at the next UN Human Rights Council session.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Egyptian counterpart on (a) the use of the death penalty and (b) reports of violations of international fair trial guarantees and forced confessions in that country.
Answered by Alistair Burt
Egypt is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Priority Country and the UK regularly raises human rights issues, including about the use of the death penalty and due process in trials, with the Egyptian Government.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Egyptian counterpart on the imprisonment of (a) Ahmed Gamal Ziada, (b) Mahmoud Hussein (c) Ismail Alexandrani, (d) Hisham Gaafar and (e) other journalists in that country.
Answered by Alistair Burt
We are aware of recent reports of the imprisonment of these individuals and of other journalists in Egypt. We are very concerned about restrictions on media freedom in Egypt. Our Ambassador in Cairo has therefore raised several of these cases and our wider concerns with the Egyptian Assistant Minister for Human Rights on 21 February.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which Governments have asked the UK Government for concessions on human rights standards in talks on the conclusion of bilateral trade deals.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We are seeking to continue human rights provisions as the UK transitions existing EU free trade deals into a UK form. The government will lay a report in Parliament for each signed agreement laying out any changes from the original. These are largely technical changes.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, the concessions on human rights standards what have been requested by the Governments of other countries in talks with the UK Government on the conclusion of bilateral trade deals.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We are seeking to continue human rights provisions as the UK transitions existing EU free trade deals into a UK form. The government will lay a report in Parliament for each signed agreement laying out any changes from the original. These are largely technical changes.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has made representations to his Omani counterpart on the arbitrary detention of the Shuhuh 6 and other human rights violations in that country.
Answered by Alistair Burt
The Foreign Secretary has not raised the case in question. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office encourages all States to uphold their international human rights obligations. Any allegations of human rights violations are concerning and must be thoroughly, promptly and transparently investigated.
Asked by: Ann Clwyd (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether it is his Department's policy to support the creation of an international independent body to oversee dams holding mining waste as a result of the collapse of the Corrego do Feijao and Samarco dams in Brazil.
Answered by Alan Duncan
The dam collapse is now the subject of investigation by the Brazilian authorities. As the Prime Minister stated to the House on 30 January, we are in touch with the local authorities and stand ready to provide whatever support we can. The UK Government works internationally with governments and business to ensure the highest environmental, safety and labour standards.