Written Evidence Dec. 18 2023
Inquiry: The UK’s engagement with the Middle East and North AfricaFound: Investigation Unit (SIU), and to the Ministry of Interior.7 Between 2021 and 2022, this funding more
Asked by: Richard Burgon (Labour - Leeds East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government plans to continue to provide technical assistance to the (a) Ministry of Interior, (b) Ministry of Interior Ombudsman and (c) Special Investigations Unit of Bahrain through (i) the Gulf Strategy Fund and (ii) other means.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO supports Bahraini-led reforms in a range of areas, including security and justice. All assistance is delivered through implementing partners under the Gulf Strategy Fund. The latest list of projects in Bahrain for Financial Year 2022/23 can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/official-development-assistance-oda-fcdo-international-programme-spend-objectives-2022-to-2023/fcdo-gulf-strategy-fund-gsf.
The FCDO will continue to support the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Interior's Ombudsman and the Special Investigation Unit of Bahrain in Financial Year 2023/24.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to reports that (1) political prisoner Hussein Al-Saadi has been returned to Jau Prison in Bahrain despite suffering from heart problems and sickle cell disease, and (2) complaints made to Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior Ombudsman have not secured Al-Saadi adequate medical treatment, what urgent representations they will make to the government of Bahrain on this case.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Officials and ministers have regular discussions with senior Bahraini counterparts on human rights issues, including most recently during Lord Ahmad's meeting with the Bahraini Foreign Minister in New York. The Government of Bahrain has been clear that access to medical care for those in detention is guaranteed and provided. We welcome these assurances, urge continued transparency and encourage those with concerns to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body.
Mentions:
1: Lord Scriven (LDEM - Life peer) I have taken his advice previously and engaged with the ombudsman on multiple occasions. - Speech Link
2: Baroness Featherstone (LDEM - Life peer) We have a huge army of personnel there—police engagement officers, Ministry of Defence advisers, even - Speech Link
Mentions:
1: Brendan O'Hara (SNP - Argyll and Bute) that fund has supported regimes with poor human rights records.The UK could stop funding Bahrain’s Ministry - Speech Link
2: Alistair Carmichael (LDEM - Orkney and Shetland) the Interior, Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah al-Khalifa, in the wake of an appallingly violent attack against - Speech Link
3: Patricia Gibson (SNP - North Ayrshire and Arran) It is disgraceful that the UK’s Ministry of Defence has carried out training programmes with Bahraini - Speech Link
4: James Cleverly (CON - Braintree) of Interior Ombudsman, the Special Investigations Unit, and the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission.Members - Speech Link
Found: The ongoing detention of Bahraini political prisoners
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll and Bute)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the investigation published on 7 June 2021 by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and Human Rights Watch on abuses of children in detention and the adequacy of the Bahraini Ministry of Interior Ombudsman, what assessment the Government has made of the effectiveness of the Bahraini Ministry of Interior Ombudsman; and whether the Government plans to continue allocating financial support to that Ombudsman through the Gulf Strategy Fund.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
We believe that consistent, positive steps are being made on security and justice reform in Bahrain. Continued progress is in the interest of Bahrain, the UK and the international community. While we recognise that challenges remain, we are clear that stepping back from our engagement would not help to achieve this. Working in cooperation with the UNDP in Bahrain, we plan to continue our support through the Gulf Strategy Fund to strengthen Bahrain's human rights oversight institutions, including the Ombudsman.
Asked by: Wayne David (Labour - Caerphilly)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assurances he has sought from the Government of Bahrain on the strengthening of (a) the Bahraini Ministry of Interior Ombudsman and (b) other human rights oversight institutions in that country in response to the provision of support to Bahrain through the Gulf Strategy Fund.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The FCDO's International Programme (IP), and within it the Gulf Strategy Fund (GSF), is a vital tool in promoting positive change and reforms across the world, including in the Gulf. Our programmes help our partners to continue their human rights reform, address key climate change and green growth opportunities and challenges, tackle illicit finance, improve marine conservation, promote economic diversification, promote diversity and inclusion including on LGBTQ+ rights, and develop their institutions.
All cooperation through the International Programme, including the Gulf Strategy Fund, is subject to rigorous risk assessments to ensure all work meets our human rights obligations and our values. The Government does not shy away from raising legitimate human rights concerns, and encourage other states to respect international law.
We now publish an annual summary of the GSF's work on gov.uk. We will not publish further information where doing so presents risks to our staff, programme suppliers and beneficiaries, or which may impact our relationships with our international partners, and therefore our ability to influence their reform efforts. We will provide updates on an annual basis.