Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to reports of prison sentences given to Victor Bet-Tamraz, Shamiram Issavi, Amin Afshar-Naderi and Hadi Asgari in Iran for practicing their beliefs, what assessment his Department has made of the safety of Christians in that country.

Iran's human rights record continues to be of serious concern to the UK, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has designated it as one of its Human Rights Priority Countries. The continued restrictions on freedoms of expression, religion and belief are deeply worrying. While some religious minorities are formally protected in the constitution, the reality is that many non-Muslims face discrimination. Despite constitutional recognition, the persecution of Christians has been continuous, systemic, and institutionalised. The Foreign Secretary ordered a review into the plight of persecuted Christians around the world. The interim report has been published and reviews the situation of Christian communities in Iran.