Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the ongoing civil rights protests in Iran, what steps his Department is taking to support women's rights in that country.

Mahsa Amini's death is a shocking reminder of the repression faced by women in Iran. On 10 October, the UK sanctioned the Morality Police, two of its leaders and five others for serious human rights violations. For decades, the Morality Police have used the threat of detention and violence to control what Iranian women wear and their public behaviour. These sanctions send a clear message that the UK will hold Iran to account for its repression of women and girls. We continue to urge Iran to improve its human rights record at all appropriate opportunities, including on women and girls, and to work with international partners to ensure accountability.