Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) identify and (b) prevent human rights violations of the Baluch people in Iran.

We condemn the killing and detention of Baluchi leaders calling for equal rights and an end to repression in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. We continue to raise human rights with the regime at every appropriate opportunity, both directly and in multilateral fora. On 14 November, the UK sanctioned 24 individuals for violations of human rights in the repression of protests. This is on top of sanctions on 10 October against Iran's so called 'morality police'. At a Special Session of the Human Rights Council on 24 November, the UK and our partners secured the establishment of an investigative mechanism into the regime's response to protests and their subsequent continued human rights abuses. The UK will work with our partners to ensure this delivers for the people of Iran.