Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential implications for his policies of (a) arbitrary detainment of prisoners in Azerbaijan and (b) reports of human rights abuses in prisons in that country.

The UK government remains concerned by reports of serious allegations of severe acts of ill-treatment and torture in prisons in Azerbaijan. In line with international human rights law, we continue to urge the authorities to ensure those in detention are: i) treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, ii) afforded a fair trial and iii) provided safe conditions. Our Embassy in Baku will continue to raise this with the government of Azerbaijan.