Ruth Jones

The UK strongly condemns all instances of hate or violence directed towards minority religious communities in Pakistan, including Shia Muslims, Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus and Sikhs. We work alongside the wider international community, including foreign governments and civil society organisations, to promote human rights in partnership with Pakistan. I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Azam Tarar, on 4 September. Alongside our diplomatic engagement, we continue to support projects promoting the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan, including facilitating interfaith dialogue and protecting marginalised communities from online hate speech.

I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony in a productive conversation with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Azam Tarar, on 4 September. I regularly meet with my counterparts in the Pakistani Government, including the Human Rights and Law Minister, Interior Minister and Foreign Minister. On 28 October, the British High Commissioner to Pakistan raised concerns around threats of violence directed towards Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan with the Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif. We will continue raise freedom of religion or belief in future engagements with the Government of Pakistan.

We are aware of reports of the desecration of Ahmadi mosques and graves in Pakistan. The UK strongly condemns all instances of hate or violence directed towards Ahmadiyya Muslims and other marginalised religious communities in Pakistan. I underlined the importance of promoting religious tolerance and harmony when I met with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister Azam Tarar on 4 September. Officials at BHC Islamabad regularly raise our concerns surrounding the mistreatment of minorities with the Pakistani authorities, including law enforcement officials. We continue to support projects promoting the rights of religious minorities in Pakistan, including facilitating interfaith dialogue and protecting marginalised communities from hate speech online.

The UK is supporting Bangladesh's Interim Government as it works to restore stability and create a pathway to an inclusive democratic future. We note the arrest warrant issued by Bangladesh; discussions between the Interim Government and India about this are a bilateral matter between them. Any investigation is a matter for the relevant authorities in Bangladesh. The UK and international partners continue to push for progress towards accountability and justice including supporting an impartial and independent fact-finding mission by the United Nations. In August, I spoke to my Indian counterpart and discussed the need for de-escalation of violence in Bangladesh.

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief for all. We are aware of the continued vulnerability of religious minorities in Myanmar, and we condemn identify-based violence on any ground. The UK continues to raise our concerns about ethnic and religious discrimination in multilateral fora, notably the UN. We continue to co-fund the UN's Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar and the Myanmar Witness programme, which collect evidence of human rights violations, including identity-based violence. As a Dialogue-Partner the UK continues to support ASEAN's regional leadership on the crisis in Myanmar, including the efforts of Laotian Chair and Special Envoy H.E Alounkeo Kittikhoun. In July, the Foreign Secretary attended the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Vientiane and met Laos' Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saleumxay Kommasith, where they discussed the crisis in Myanmar.

The UK is committed to freedom of religion or belief for all. Through our High Commission in Kampala, we maintain a regular dialogue with religious institutions and those working to promote freedom of religion and belief. The Ugandan Constitution enshrines the 'freedom to practise any religion', providing for freedom of belief, the right to practice and promote any religion, and the right to belong to and participate in the practices of any religious organisation in a manner consistent with the constitution. We will continue to raise any issues directly with the Ugandan Government and other interlocutors.

The UK continues to champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do or do not believe in. The British High Commission in New Delhi consistently monitors human rights, including the use of anti-conversion laws across India. However, the UK Government has a broad and deep partnership with the Government of India, and we discuss all elements of our relationship, including human rights and Freedom of Religion or Belief, and raise issues where we have them.

It is vital that the Government of Iraq keep Iraqi militia groups in line and ensure democracy is adhered to. We are closely monitoring the impact of developments in Nineveh on the safety of Nineveh's Christian community.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

HMA Baghdad regularly engages with diplomatic colleagues in Iraq on a variety of topics, including the destabilising effects of militias in Iraq. It is vital that these groups are kept in line. We are closely monitoring the impact of developments in Nineveh on the safety of the region's Christian community, as well as other vulnerable communities.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

HMA Baghdad has regular engagement with diplomatic colleagues as well as the Prime Minister of Iraq. We are closely monitoring the impact of these developments on the safety of Nineveh's Christian community.

The UK is firmly committed to protecting the Christian community and other ethnic and religious minorities and are strong advocates of greater Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in Iraq. We regularly engage with the Government of Iraq and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) on this issue, in particular the importance that minorities are included in national and local government as well as reconciliation efforts.

The UK recognises the fundamental value of journalism in creating free and open societies, enabling people to learn about and understand their rights and holding governments to account. The British High Commission in Bangladesh regularly meet with journalists through the UK Government's engagement with the Media Freedom Coalition. The UK works with partners in the Media Freedom Coalition to advocate for media freedom and the safety of journalists. The UK raised protection of journalists and media freedom during the 44th Universal Periodic Review of Bangladesh in November 2023.