Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports of violent abuse of political opponents and activists in Evin prison in Iran.

The FCDO is shocked and appalled at the conditions that appeared in the leaked footage of Evin prison. We have repeatedly urged Iran to allow health professionals in, to assess the situation of British nationals there. We regularly raise human rights with the Iranians at all levels and take action with the international community to press Iran to improve its poor record. At the Human Rights Council session in March 2021, we strongly supported the renewal of the mandate of the UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran and made clear to Iran that their repeated violations of human rights are unacceptable. On 8 July 2021, the UK published its Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report, which included our bleak assessment of Iran's human rights record and our efforts to push for improvements. We will look to use all opportunities during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly session as well, and call on President Raisi to set Iran on a different course by committing to improving human rights and to release British nationals arbitrarily detained there.