Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment her Department has made of trends in the level of the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in Iran; and what steps she is taking to support religious freedom and human rights in that country.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to monitor Iran's violations of the rights of religious minorities, and are committed to working with international partners to hold Iran to account. My Hon Friend the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, has worked closely on this issue - including hosting events in partnership with with Open Doors and Christian Solidarity Worldwide. We were integral to the delivery of an Iran human rights resolution, adopted by the UN Third Committee in November 2025, which called on Iran to ensure Iranians have the right to freedom of religion or belief in accordance with its obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations she has made to her Bangladeshi counterpart on reports of violence against Hindu communities and the safety of religious minorities.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK condemns all religiously motivated violence in Bangladesh.
We have consistently raised the importance of protecting religious minorities with the Bangladeshi authorities, including during visits by the UK Human Rights Ambassador in February 2025, and Baroness Chapman in November. The British High Commission also meets with civil society groups and minority communities.
Bangladesh's Interim Government has publicly reaffirmed its commitment to protecting communities-Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Muslim-including in a statement on 10 January. This statement set out steps being taken by the Home Ministry to respond rapidly to incidents, protect victims and witnesses, and ensure the law is applied fairly.
Our commitment to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) is reflected through our engagement with civil society groups and minority communities as well as our £27 million Bangladesh Collaborative, Accountable and Peaceful Politics programme (2023-2028). The programme aims to protect civic space, foster inclusive dialogue, and address tensions that can lead to violence.
Asked by: Lord Lebedev (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the Crime and Policing Bill proposal regarding a prohibition on face coverings when in an area designated by police is compatible with the right to freedom of expression.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The government is committed to protecting public safety and preventing disorder and crime whilst balancing the right to peaceful protest.
Under the provisions in clauses 118 to 120 of the Crime and Policing Bill, the police can only designate a locality for the purposes of the offence of concealing identity at protests where a senior officer reasonably believes that a protest is or may take place in the locality, that the protest is likely to involve or has involved the commission of offences, and it is expedient in order to prevent or limit offences being committed to designate the locality.
The measure includes a defence for individuals charged with this new offence if they prove they wore or used the item for a purpose related to health, religious observance or relating to the person’s work.
As such, a locality will only be designated where criminality has or is likely to take place, and under this new measure, the police will be expected to take action only against persons who are wearing or using items to conceal their identity at protests in a designated locality, without a legitimate purpose. Given these safeguards, the government is satisfied that this measure does not disproportionately interfere with individuals’ human rights.
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham Edgbaston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking, in collaboration with the Government of Iran, to preserve freedom of religion or belief amid ongoing protests in Iran.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 13 January, and her responses to the questions raised in the subsequent debate.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of the treatment of inmates from minority religions in prisons in Pakistan.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 21 October 2025 to Question 81646.
Asked by: Alex Easton (Independent - North Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations her Department has made to the Government of Syria on protecting the rights of religious minorities, such as Christian Orthodox people, Protestants and Catholics.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer given on 18 September 2025 to Question 74583.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to her international counterparts on respect for freedom of religion or belief among political leaders.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK champions Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) around the world. On 8 July 2025, the UK's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, David Smith MP, set out the Government's new strategy on FoRB, providing a framework for engagement with other countries, and describing the links between the protection of FoRB and other goals including the prevention of conflict. As part of this strategy, the UK continues to support FoRB on the international stage, through our position in the United Nations, G7 and Article 18 Alliance.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking in collaboration with her counterpart in Myanmar to support the ability of Christian communities to (a) observe religious holidays and (b) practice their faith in Myanmar.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to support Freedom of Religion and Belief in Myanmar, and we support the right of Christian communities and other faith groups in Myanmar to practice their religion without fear of violence or persecution.
In 2025, we co-sponsored a UN Human Rights Council resolution calling for the Myanmar military to fully respect and protect the human rights of all persons, including those belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, and we strongly condemn the Myanmar military's use of airstrikes on civilian infrastructure, including places of worship.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the state of religious freedom in India and the treatment of minority faith communities.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 December in response to Question 98409.
Asked by: John Glen (Conservative - Salisbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her counterpart in Venezuela on the (a) vandalism of the Cuasia Church and (b) death threats issued towards Fr. Juan Manuel León.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Protecting the Freedom of Religion or Belief is an important objective for the UK all over the world. As part of our efforts to press for a peaceful, democratic transition in Venezuela, we will reinforce the importance of ensuring that the rights of all Venezuelans are upheld, including members of the church.