Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the human rights situation and current levels of humanitarian access in Sudan.

We continue to be concerned by the human rights situation in Sudan. This includes restrictions on freedom of expression, freedom of religion or belief, and sexual and gender based violence, especially in the conflict areas of Darfur, South Kordofan, and Blue Nile.

Whilst the release and pardon of six human rights activists by the government of Sudan, including Dr Mudawi Ibrahim Adam, an issue on which the UK actively lobbied the government of Sudan, was a positive development, considerable human rights challenges remain. Sudan is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Human Rights Priority Country and improving human rights is a key objective in our engagement.

The UN states that there has been an improvement in levels of humanitarian access in Sudan, including to previously inaccessible parts of Darfur. We welcome this and encourage the government of Sudan to make further progress on full humanitarian access.