Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Prime Minister raised the issue of human rights in Bahrain, including the plight of political prisoners, during his meeting with the Crown Prince of Bahrain on 19 June.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the read out of the meeting:
The Prime Minister welcomed His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain to Downing Street today.
The leaders reflected on the strength of the UK-Bahrain relationship, and welcomed the UK becoming a full member of the Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement (C-SIPA) today. The agreement will deepen trilateral cooperation with Bahrain and the United States on regional security at a critical time, both agreed.
The Prime Minister also welcomed the signing of the Strategic Investment and Collaboration Partnership, building on the two-way investment partnership between the countries, and how this will unlock new investment, growth and jobs into the UK, delivering on the Plan for Change.
The leaders also underscored the importance of the new Defence Cooperation Accord between the two countries, deepening joint military training and building on the two nations’ strong naval ties.
Highlighting the strength of the 200-year relationship between both nations, the leaders looked forward to further cooperation, including trade negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Turning to the situation in the Middle East, the leaders called for de-escalation and both agreed on the need for enduring and closer relationships across the region to support stability.
The Prime Minister and Crown Prince looked forward to speaking again soon.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to secure the release of imprisoned human rights defenders and political activists in Bahrain; and what discussions they have had with Bahrain, if any, about the cases of (1) Abduljalil Al-Singace, (2) Hasan Mushaima, and (3) Sheikh Ali Salman.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to follow and discuss the cases of Abduljalil Al Singace, Hasan Mushaima and Sheikh Ali Salman with the Bahraini Government, as well as with the independent oversight bodies, where appropriate.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith and Chiswick)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department plans to take in response to (a) the case of Sayed Hassan Jawad, (b) reports that political detainees in Jaw Prison had to be transferred to hospital and (c) other allegations of ill-treatment of political prisoners in Bahrain.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK maintains a dialogue with Bahrain on issues including detention and prison conditions at Jau. We encourage individuals alleging concerns about treatment in detention to report them to Bahrain's oversight bodies, which are established to deal with such matters. The FCDO has not raised the case of Sayed Hassan Jawad.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to authorities in Bahrain regarding allegations of mistreatment, suspension of telephone calls, and solitary confinement of (1) Mohamed Ramadan, (2) Zuhair Ebrahim Jasim Abdullah, (3) Mohamed Radhi Hasan, and (4) Husain Ebrahim Marzooq, who are on death row in Jau Prison.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to discuss the use of the death penalty with the Bahrain authorities and have not made representations recently on the cases mentioned. We are aware that investigations are ongoing into allegations of mistreatment.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 24574 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, which individual cases his Department are monitoring; and whether he has made recent representations to his Bahraini counterpart on their releases.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The FCDO continues to discuss human rights regularly with Bahrain, including some individual cases where appropriate and when specific allegations relating to them are raised. Whilst we sometimes comment publicly, we also engage constructively in private. The FCDO has not made recent representations to Bahrain on the release of the individuals mentioned in Question 24574.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2024 to Question 24574 on Bahrain: Political Prisoners, if he will list the individual human rights cases discussed with Bahrain Foreign Minister Al Zayani on 22 April 2024.
Answered by David Rutley
The UK's close and long-standing relationship with Bahrain continues to allow for a genuine and mutually beneficial dialogue, including on individual cases we discuss where allegations relating to human rights are made. Whilst we sometimes comment publicly, we most often engage constructively in private and do not as a matter of course release the details of Ministerial discussions with international counterparts.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, if he will make representations to his Bahraini counterpart on the release of (a) Sheikh Ali Salman, (b) Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, (c) Hassan Mushaima and (d) other members of the political opposition in that country.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell
The FCDO continues to follow matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely, including some individual cases. The Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed human rights with Bahrain Foreign Minister Al Zayani on 22 April. The UK remains committed to supporting reforms in Bahrain and to encouraging the government to meet its human rights commitments.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to the press release by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy entitled Bahrain convicts 13 political prisoners in a mass trial amid credible torture allegations, published on 28 September 2023, whether his Department holds information on alleged use of (a) mass trials and (b) torture in Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by David Rutley
The FCDO is aware of reporting about the court proceedings referenced in the press release. We have previously been assured in other cases (where individuals linked to one charge are tried together) that an individual's right to separate legal representation of their choice is guaranteed by law. We continue to encourage allegations of torture or mistreatment to be reported to the appropriate national oversight body whose duty it is to carry out full and independent investigations into such claims.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she held discussions with the Interior Minister of Bahrain on (a) Hassan Mushaima, (b) Abduljalil al-Singace, (c) Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, (d) Abdulwahab Husain, (e) Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Muqdad, (f) Mohammed Ramadhan and (g) Husain Moosa in April 2023.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat
The Home Office does not comment on individual cases.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether HM Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Interior Minister of Bahrain discussed (a) human rights and (b) political prisoners' cases during their meeting on 2 April 2023.
Answered by David Rutley
The FCDO follows matters that relate to human rights within Bahrain closely, including some individual cases. UK Ministers and senior officials regularly raise sensitive issues. Recently the Minister of State for the Middle East, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed a range of human rights issues and individual cases during his visit to Bahrain on Sunday 12 February. We also encourage those with issues to raise them directly with the appropriate Bahraini independent oversight body.