Egypt

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Excerpts

Thursday 27th March 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the Government of Egypt following recent court cases in that country.

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Con)]

My Lords, the Foreign Secretary made a Statement on 24 March, saying that he was,

“deeply concerned by the reports that 528 individuals were today sentenced to death by a court in Al Minya in Egypt”.

He urged the Egyptian authorities,

“to ensure full respect for defendants’ rights”,

and expressed,

“hope they will review this unacceptable sentence”.

On 6 February, as noble Lords may be aware, the Foreign Secretary also publicly raised concerns about the arrest of Al-Jazeera journalists in Cairo and about freedom of expression.

[Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale (Lab)]

My Lords, since last summer, the Foreign Secretary has, understandably, condemned some of the actions of the new regime in Egypt and called for maintaining a dialogue with that regime. However, during that time we have seen not only the trial of the 20 Al-Jazeera journalists and the death sentences for the 529 accused on Monday but the prosecution of peaceful women student protestors, who face life sentences, and a whole host of other acts of repression and denial of basic human rights. Will the Government make a statement in the coming weeks, in the run-up to the elections that are due to take place in Egypt, outlining what other action has been taken in addition to dialogue and condemnation—for example, on export licences and co-operation in other matters—and what discussions have taken place in the EU and the UN to ensure some international co-ordination of efforts to persuade the Egyptian Government to stop this path towards repression and to open up the political space there if there are to be serious democratic elections in the future?

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

To begin with the noble Lord’s final point, he is of course quite right that openness and having a free, fair and fully pluralist style of elections are something that not only Her Majesty’s Government want to see but, as he has acknowledged, something that the UN is pursuing, as is the noble Baroness, Lady Ashton, in her capacity at the European Union. I reiterate once again that the UK Government remain deeply concerned about sentencing including, most recently, the sentencing to three years in prison of the democracy and human rights activists Ahmed Maher, Ahmed Douma and Mohamed Adel. The UK believes that the freedom to protest peacefully is vital in any democracy and calls on Egypt’s interim leaders to ensure that they uphold all Egypt’s international human rights obligations. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Foreign Minister Fahmy on 7 January and raised various concerns over Egypt, such as the arrest of human rights activists and journalists and the violence, including fatalities, at protests. I am sure representations will continue during what we hope will be free and fair elections later this year.

[Lord Chidgey (LD)]

My Lords, the Egyptian Ministry of Justice is on record as saying that most of the 350 people originally sentenced to death were actually tried in absentia and that if they turn up in court they would be entitled to retrials. However, the Egyptian Government are insisting that the death sentences were handed down only “after careful study”. Have the Government advised the Egyptian authorities that, along with the UN human rights commissioner and 16 Egyptian human rights groups, we view these actions as being in breach of international human rights law and intolerable in a 21st-century democracy?

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

My noble friend sums up sentiments which are, I think, widely shared across the House. The UK of course opposes the death penalty. We believe it undermines human dignity and there is no evidence that it works as a deterrent. If an error is made, it is of course irreversible. We review the death penalty strategy each year, including priority countries where necessary. Our views have been well documented and continue to be shared across the board particularly, in this context, with the Egyptian authorities.

[Lord Bach (Lab)]

My Lords, the verdict and sentences of death passed this week are a breach of international law, as has just been said. The UN human rights commissioner has said the same. However, along with the detention of the Al-Jazeera journalists and other matters raised, they also show a high level of contempt for the rule of law. Will Her Majesty’s Government take a significant role in not only condemning the decision—that is something that we can all easily do—but in really leading international opinion to insist on a proper and fair appeal process?

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

It is important to reiterate that the justice system in Egypt should be seen to be both transparent and fair. As my noble friend pointed out a moment ago, certain people have been tried in absentia. It is important that we see openness and justice being served. To mention the Al-Jazeera journalists specifically, we have raised our concerns about cases of freedom of expression at the most senior level with the Egyptian Government in recent days, and the Foreign Secretary discussed them with other European Foreign Ministers at the European Foreign Affairs Council. I reiterate that the UK believes that a free and robust press, alongside other matters, is the bedrock of democracy, and an open, transparent and fair justice system is also an important part of the democratic process.

[Baroness Falkner of Margravine (LD)]

My Lords, my noble friend will be aware that the proposed new Egyptian constitution also privileges military trials for civilians, irrespective of whether they are military employees. What representations are the Government making on this aspect of the constitution, which will allow for more miscarriages of justice, rather than fewer?

[Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon]

The constitution in Egypt is primarily something that we should leave to the Egyptian people. We should be ensuring that there is fairness and a pluralist democracy in place. The Egyptians have promoted the fact that there was 98% agreement to the constitution, but this is on the basis of only 38% participation. One positive element that comes out of the constitution, which I am sure my noble friend acknowledges, is that minority groups and minority interests are well protected, and that is a welcome development.