Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what issues they will raise as a priority at the next meeting of the UN Human Rights Council due to be held between 25 February and 22 March in Geneva; and which countries they will highlight as countries of concern in their statement to the Council.

​The Government's priority for all sessions of the UN Human Rights Council is to ensure that it holds those responsible for human rights violations and abuses to account, effectively addresses global threats to human rights, and strengthens protections for the future. At the 40th session, specific priorities will include the human rights situation in Syria, Sri Lanka, Burma, Iran, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Libya and South Sudan, and thematic priorities of media freedom, human rights defenders, and freedom of religion or belief. The UK will continue to use statements to the Council to hold countries that violate human rights to account.