Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will raise respect for human rights, the rule of law and the case of Mr Alexander Sodiqov with Tajik Foreign Minister Sirojidin Aslov during his upcoming visit to the UK.

We discuss the importance of respect for human rights and adherence to the rule of law with the Government of Tajikistan at both official and ministerial level whenever opportunity allows.

We remain deeply concerned by the continuing detention in Tajikistan of Alexander Sodiqov, an academic researcher working for the University of Exeter. Senior Minister of State Baroness Warsi discussed a number of issues, including human rights, the rule of law and the case of Mr Sodiqov, when she met Foreign Minister Aslov on 1 July.