Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Turkish counterparts on the criminalisation of the rights of LGBTIQ+ communities by that country; and what recent assessment he has made of the level of risk for LGBTIQ+ people in Turkey; and if he will make a statement.
We will continue to encourage Turkey to respect the rights and safeguard the welfare of all minority groups in Turkey, including the LGBTIQ+ community. Our missions in Turkey regularly engage with civil society groups, including the LGBTIQ+ community. In recent years we have funded projects supporting freedom of expression and LGBTIQ+ issues. Freedom of assembly should be defended, allowing for Pride marches, and we discourage disparaging public statements targeting the LGBTIQ+ community.