Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he will make representations to his Pakistani counterpart on the use of blasphemy laws to sentence Asif Pervaiz to death.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are aware of the case of Asif Pervaiz and are closely following developments. We regularly raise at a senior level the issue of the blasphemy laws with the authorities in Pakistan. The UK's position on the death penalty is well known - we are firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, in accordance with international standards. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon last raised our human rights concerns with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 27 August.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on the (a) detention, (b) harassment and (c) torture of human rights lawyers in that country.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We remain concerned by restrictions on freedom of expression in China, and urge the authorities to immediately release human rights lawyers detained for the peaceful and constitutionally protected expression of their views.
We have raised Gao Zhisheng's case directly with the Chinese Government. We called for his release, and urged the Chinese authorities to ensure he is not subjected to harassment, mistreatment or discrimination.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Chinese counterpart on the whereabouts of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We remain concerned by restrictions on freedom of expression in China, and urge the authorities to immediately release human rights lawyers detained for the peaceful and constitutionally protected expression of their views.
We have raised Gao Zhisheng's case directly with the Chinese Government. We called for his release, and urged the Chinese authorities to ensure he is not subjected to harassment, mistreatment or discrimination.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his polices of the statement by the EYN Church National President Reverend Joel Billi during a press conference in Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria on 2 July, that over 700,000 of his church’s members have been displaced, eight pastors and over 8,370 lay people have been killed, and an unknown number have been abducted by terrorist factions of Boko Haram.
Answered by James Duddridge
We are aware of the statement made by the President of EYN Church, Reverend Joel Billi, on 2 July. The UK condemns the appalling actions of terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa in North East Nigeria. Adamawa State is one of the three Nigerian states worst affected by the conflict. These terrorist groups attack Nigerians of all faiths who do not subscribe to their extremist views, causing immense suffering in both Christian and Muslim communities.
The UK remains committed to helping Nigeria tackle the terrorist threat and supporting affected communities through a comprehensive package of security, stabilisation and humanitarian assistance. This includes up to £300 million of humanitarian assistance to affected communities between 2017-2022. We regularly raise the importance of protecting all Nigerians with the Government of Nigeria, and do so at the highest levels. In June, I discussed the conflict in North East Nigeria with the Nigerian President's Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 May 2020 to Question HL3434, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policy on the veracity of statements on covid-19 in Bahrain prisons from the Bahraini National Institute for Human Rights of the 9 April 2020 Reuters article which found that prisoners in that country were subject to overcrowding, poor sanitation and lack of medical care.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Government of Bahrain has been clear in public statements that access to appropriate medical care for those in detention is guaranteed by the Constitution of Bahrain. Bahrain has stated publicly that under normal circumstances, any prisoner wishing to see a doctor is taken to the prison clinic, with referral to specialist facilities where required, but as part of the COVID-19 precautions, all medical consultations now take place via a video call, ensuring the safety of the patient and the medical staff. We welcome these assurances from the Government of Bahrain and urge continued transparency.
We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body. We continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department's policies of continuing violence in Kajuru in southern Kaduna, Nigeria between the beginning of a covid-19 lockdown on 25 March 2020 and the morning of 12 May 2020.
Answered by James Duddridge
We condemn all incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria, including recently reported attacks in Kaduna State. Officials from the British High Commission in Abuja are in contact with and have visited communities in Kaduna that have experienced violence and conflict. We continue to encourage the Government of Nigeria to take urgent action to protect those at risk of intercommunal violence, to bring perpetrators to justice and to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes and meet the needs of all communities.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Wilton Park hosted a conference on 'Fostering Social Cohesion in Nigeria' in February, which brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives from Kaduna State. The conference was an opportunity to discuss how government, faith-based and community organisations can build solutions to intercommunal violence in Nigeria.
The UK Government is supporting local efforts to build solutions to intercommunal violence in Nigeria. As competition over land and resources is leading to violence, our response has included the provision of technical support to the Nigerian Government for the development of the National Livestock Transformation Plan, for which Kaduna State is a pilot state, to promote ranching, an economically viable livestock sector, new jobs and address conflict.
The Prime Minister discussed insecurity in Nigeria with President Buhari at the UK Africa Investment Summit in January. We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities, at the highest levels, the importance of protecting civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights for all Nigerians.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, when the Minister for Asia plans to respond to the letter of 7 April 2020 from the hon. Member for Glasgow East, reference DL5327, regarding his constituents who are stranded in the Philippines.
Answered by Nigel Adams
This has been a time of unparalleled demand for consular support across the globe, and we have experienced an unprecedented volume of incoming correspondence from worried families and MPs asking for information about the status of their families and constituents. I apologise for the delay in responding to your letter of 7 April and confirm that a response was sent to your office on 21 May.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to his Chinese counterpart on (a) closing the re-education camps in Xinjiang and (b) protecting elderly people detained in those camps from covid-19.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Following the change to date for answer of this PQ, I submitted a response by email on 26 March, with the following response.The Table Office have agreed this approach.
The risk of the spread of COVID-19 in places of detention is a matter of concern in a number of countries around the world.
We have consistently made clear our serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, including the extra-judicial detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in "political re-education camps".
On 9 March, the Foreign Secretary directly raised these concerns with his Chinese counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. On 10 March at the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, the UK used its national statement to raise concerns about systematic human rights violations and reports of forced labour in Xinjiang. We continue to urge China to implement UN recommendations - to end the practice of extra-judicial detention of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities, and to allow UN observers unfettered access to the region.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the accuracy of the conclusion of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom report on COVID-19, which stated that limited access to medical resources and the concentration of elderly detainees in the re-education camps in Xinjiang could lead to a humanitarian disaster.
Answered by Nigel Adams
Following the change to date for answer of this PQ, I submitted a response by email on 26 March, with the following response.The Table Office have agreed this approach.
The risk of the spread of COVID-19 in places of detention is a matter of concern in a number of countries around the world. We are aware of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom report and will consider its findings.
We have consistently made clear our serious concerns about the human rights situation in Xinjiang, including the extra-judicial detention of over a million Uyghur Muslims and other minorities in "political re-education camps".
On 9 March, the Foreign Secretary directly raised these concerns with his Chinese counterpart, State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. On 10 March at the 43rd session of the UN Human Rights Council, the UK used its national statement to raise concerns about systematic human rights violations and reports of forced labour in Xinjiang. We continue to urge China to implement UN recommendations - to end the practice of extra-judicial detention of Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities, and to allow UN observers unfettered access to the region.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Government of Mexico to improve protective measures for (a) religious leaders and (b) other human rights defenders.
Answered by Christopher Pincher
The Government continues to engage regularly with the Mexican authorities at Ministerial, official and state levels to discuss human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), and to support a broad human rights agenda in the country. During the Foreign Secretary's first visit to Mexico in August 2019, he raised human rights with his counterpart Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard, who expressed his support for working with us bilaterally and multilaterally to protect human rights. Baroness Williams also raised FoRB with Mexican Interior Minister in September 2019. I have also spoken to Deputy Foreign Minister Ventura. At the UN Universal Periodic Review session in November 2018 the United Kingdom made recommendations regarding accountability for human rights violations and addressing impunity for violence against human rights defenders.