Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Azerbaijani counterpart on (a) arbitrary detainment of prisoners in Azerbaijan and (b) reports of human rights abuses in prisons in that country.

The UK government remains concerned at reports of serious allegations of severe acts of ill-treatment and torture in prisons in Azerbaijan. We continue to urge the authorities to ensure that those in detention are treated with humanity and respect for the inherent dignity of the human person, in line with international human rights law, and that those in detention are afforded a fair trial and are provided safe conditions, in accordance with Azerbaijan's international obligations and commitments.