Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what information they have about the rape, torture, and murder by stoning of a retired Christian schoolteacher, Suzan Der Kirkour in Syria; whether they are seeking to confirm reports about who was responsible; and what assessment they have made of the statement by church leaders that “attacks against Christians, mainly women and girls, are frequent here now.”

​We are aware of reports of the murder of Christian school teacher, Suzan Der Kirkour in Idlib, Syria. Given the difficulties of gathering information inside Syria, we are unable to assess who was responsible.

Christians and people of other religions or beliefs, have suffered in the Syrian conflict, persecuted particularly by Daesh. The persecution of Christians, and indeed individuals of all faiths and beliefs, remains of profound concern to us. The British Government has recently accepted all of the recommendations of the Bishop of Truro's independent Review of Foreign and Commonwealth Office support for persecuted Christians overseas, and we will look to implement them at the earliest opportunity.