Saudi Arabia: Human Rights

(asked on 25th November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister raised (1) human rights issues in Saudi Arabia, including (a) the continued potential use of the death penalty for those who allegedly committed crimes as minors, and (b) the continued detention of women activists arrested in 2018 for campaigning for the right to drive, and (2) the case for ensuring unimpeded access for human rights groups to Yemen, in his discussions with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia on 24 November.


Answered by
 Portrait
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This question was answered on 9th December 2020

Our close relationship with Saudi Arabia allows us to raise our concerns about human rights, including on political detainees and use of the death penalty, in private and in public. The Prime Minister addressed the issue of women's rights and further developments needed in that area in his recent discussions with the Crown Prince.

The UK strongly opposes the death penalty in all countries and in all circumstances, as a matter of principle. This is especially the case for juveniles and for crimes other than the most serious. The Minister for the Middle East and North Africa raised the death penalty with Dr Awwad al Awwad, President of Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Commission, during his virtual visit in July. I raised the death penalty in a call with Dr Awwad in June.

We have consistently raised concerns over the continued detention of women's rights defenders at senior levels with the Saudi authorities. The UK signed a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 15 September, calling for the release of women's rights defenders. I raised women's rights defenders during my call with Dr Awwad in June. The Minister for the Middle East most recently raised the women's rights defenders' cases with the Saudi Ambassador to the UK on 16 November.

We remain deeply concerned about the human rights situation in Yemen, which is a human rights priority country for the UK. We call on all parties to facilitate unhindered access for humanitarian actors and agencies and ensure that humanitarian workers are able to conduct their work safely and without harm.

Reticulating Splines