Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to the decision by Bahrain’s Court of Cassation to uphold death sentences against Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa on 13 July 2020, if he will suspend Government support for (a) the Bahraini Special Investigations Unit, (b) the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman and (c) other Bahraini institutions accused of complicity in the torture of both men.

We are deeply concerned that the death penalty verdicts imposed on Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa by Bahrain's Court of Cassation have been upheld. Lord Ahmad, who is the Minister of State responsible for human rights, reinforced this position in his tweet of 14 July. We have raised both cases at senior levels with the Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini Government is fully aware that the UK opposes the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.

The UK welcomed the investigation by the Ombudsman and Special Investigation Unit into the cases of Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa, ultimately leading to the Attorney General and Minister of Justice ordering a retrial - a first in Bahrain.

The UK is committed to supporting Bahrain's oversight bodies, including the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman and the independent Special Investigations Unit. We continue to believe that Bahrain is taking steps in the right direction to improve its record on justice and security issues. The support we provide to these bodies, including in partnership with the UN Development Programme contributing to their work to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 16 (strengthening institutions and increasing access to justice), contributes to the ongoing development of both their capacity and capabilities.