Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with Sudanese authorities on the protection of (a) the life of Amiera Osman and (b) other women's rights activists and c) women's rights activists from arbitrary arrested.

Women were a major driver behind the 2019 protests that fought so bravely for democracy. I met a number of inspirational women leaders, social reformers and entrepreneurs during a visit to Sudan in October 2021. The UK continues to stand with them and are concerned by continued violent repression of Sudanese protesters and civil society, including women. While we are pleased at the news that Amiera Osman has been released, she should not have been detained in the first place. Since the coup, we have consistently called for an end to all arbitrary detentions and human rights violations, and for Sudanese people to be able to protest without fear of violence. This includes statements the Foreign Secretary and I have made, and at UN Human Rights Council, the UN Security Council and G7 Foreign and Development Ministers meeting. With our international partners we will continue to show our support for a return to the democratic transition and maintain pressure on the Sudanese military to deliver people's demands for freedom, peace and justice.