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Written Question
Nigeria: Blasphemy
Wednesday 28th June 2023

Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the Government of Nigeria on (a) the matter of individuals with minority beliefs receiving the death penalty for blasphemy and (b) the case of Yahaya Sharif-Aminu.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all is a human rights priority for the UK and a constitutional commitment of the Nigerian Government. The UK strongly opposes capital punishment in all circumstances and regularly raises blasphemy and death penalty cases with our partners. The British High Commission raises human rights issues, including FoRB, regularly with Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Officials raised Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, and other blasphemy cases, with the Executive Secretary of the NHRC in April 2023. The UK's Special Envoy for FoRB wrote to the governor of Kano State to raise concern about Sharif-Aminu's sentencing under the state's penal code in December 2022. She will follow up on this with the new governor.


Written Question
Nigeria: Blasphemy
Wednesday 28th June 2023

Asked by: Neale Hanvey (Alba Party - Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has received on the law on blasphemy in Nigeria.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

Defending Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) for all is a human rights priority for the UK and a constitutional commitment of the Nigerian Government. The UK strongly opposes capital punishment in all circumstances and regularly raises blasphemy and death penalty cases with our partners. The British High Commission raises human rights issues, including FoRB, regularly with Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). Officials raised Yahaya Sharif-Aminu, and other blasphemy cases, with the Executive Secretary of the NHRC in April 2023. The UK's Special Envoy for FoRB wrote to the governor of Kano State to raise concern about Sharif-Aminu's sentencing under the state's penal code in December 2022. She will follow up on this with the new governor.


Written Question
Uganda: LGBT+ People
Tuesday 13th June 2023

Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of people in Uganda who have been (a) charged, (b) imprisoned and (c) sentenced to death under anti-LGBTQ+ legislation since the introduction of that legislation.

Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)

I condemn the Government of Uganda's enactment of the deeply discriminatory Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023, in particular the introduction of the death penalty for so-called 'aggravated homosexuality'. I strongly urge the Government of Uganda to protect the rights and freedoms of all Ugandans under the constitution.

As of 8 June 2023, we are not aware of anyone being charged, imprisoned or sentenced to death under the Anti-Homosexuality Act since its implementation on 30 May 2023. Regarding prior anti-LGBT+ legislation, this has existed since the colonial era penal code, which criminalised 'unnatural acts' but did not impose the death penalty. We have no reliable information on those charged or imprisoned under previous anti-LGBT+ legislation.


Written Question
Angola: Human Rights
Tuesday 26th April 2022

Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) recent assessment she has made of human rights in Angola, (b) steps she is taking to support organisations advocating for accountability for abuses in that country and (c) representations she has made to the government of Angola in relation to accountability in relation to the deaths in Cafunfo in Lunda Norte province in January 2021.

Answered by Vicky Ford

The Government of Angola is working to improve its human rights record. On 20 April 2020, the Government approved a National Human Rights Strategy which is part of the Universal Periodic Review response and recommendations from the last two sessions of 2014 and 2020 of the UN Human Rights Council. The country's most significant, recent advances on Human Rights include the approval of a religious freedom law (Jan 2019), ratification of the UN Conventions Against Torture (UNCAT) and Racial Discrimination (CERD) and of the Optional Protocol on the Abolition of the Death Penalty (all deposited in Oct 2019). In October 2020, the Government approved a new Penal Code, which came into effect February 2021. The new Penal Code prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, granting to homosexual individuals the same liberties as any other Angolan citizen.

The British Ambassador joined like-minded partners in seeking clarification over the incident in Cafunfo in Lunda Sul province last year. Following an investigation by the Angolan authorities, shortfalls were identified in the crowd control strategies of the Angolan police force. Remedial training was provided by the authorities to avoid a repetition and ensure appropriate and proportionate action will be taken in future.


Written Question
Honduras: Convictions
Monday 21st February 2022

Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Honduran counterpart on the guilty verdict findings against six environmental activists for alleged crimes against a mining company in that country.

Answered by Vicky Ford

The British Embassy in Guatemala (which develops and maintains relations between the UK and Honduras) has paid close attention to the cases of individual human rights defenders in Honduras, including the cases of the environmental defenders from Guapinol. Officials from the Embassy virtually attended court hearings in December 2021, January and February 2022, as well as sharing key messages on social media calling for due process and the Rule of Law to be respected. The Embassy has also called on the Ministry of Human Rights and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on several occasions. We have used these meetings to raise concerns about these and other human rights defenders, and the improper use of the Penal Code to punish human rights defenders, especially in rural areas. Support for the exercise of human rights in Honduras will be a continuing priority for our Embassy.


Written Question
Brunei: LGBT People
Thursday 16th December 2021

Asked by: Andrew Percy (Conservative - Brigg and Goole)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what specific issues in relation to LGBT rights in Brunei were raised between the Minister of State and the Foreign Minister of Brunei in their meeting of 9 December 2021; and what the response from Foreign Minister II Erywan was.

Answered by Amanda Milling - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The UK is committed to the principle of non-discrimination on any grounds, including on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Human rights are universal and should apply equally to all people. We continue to raise human rights and respect of individual freedoms as part of our bilateral discussions with Brunei. In my meeting with the Foreign Minister of Brunei on 9 December I discussed LGBT+ issues, including in the context of the implementation of Brunei's Sharia Penal Code Order. The Foreign Minister of Brunei welcomed discussions on these areas.


Written Question
Saudi Arabia: Political Prisoners
Tuesday 21st September 2021

Asked by: Virendra Sharma (Labour - Ealing, Southall)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the impact of the Prime Minister's comment of 10 September 2021 on the UK being the Saudi Arabia of penal policy, on efforts by the UK and its allies to argue for a more ethical approach by Saudi Arabia to its political detainees.

Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary

Our views are well known by the Saudi Arabian authorities. The UK will continue to encourage further human rights reform in the Kingdom.


Written Question
India: Blasphemy
Wednesday 28th April 2021

Asked by: Imran Ahmad Khan (Independent - Wakefield)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterpart on the application of blasphemy laws in that country.

Answered by Nigel Adams

India has a proud history of religious tolerance and we look to the Government of India to address concerns raised about articles in the Indian Penal Code which relate to religion. Human rights forms a regular part of our dialogue with the Government of India. On 15 March, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Minister of State responsible for Human Rights and South Asia, discussed the situation for Christians with India's Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kishan Reddy. Our Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi also discussed UK Parliamentary interest in minorities in India with officials from India's Ministry of External Affairs on 5 January, and a senior FCDO official discussed the situation for India's religious minorities with the Indian High Commissioner on 29 December 2020


Staff in our diplomatic network across India regularly meet religious representatives and have run projects promoting minority rights. Over the last three years, they have worked with local NGOs to bring together young people of diverse faith backgrounds to work together on social action projects in their local communities and promote a culture of interfaith tolerance. This year, they supported an interfaith leadership programme for a cohort of emerging Indian faith leaders, creating an opportunity to exchange expertise on leading modern, inclusive faith communities.


Written Question
North Korea: Religious Freedom
Tuesday 30th March 2021

Asked by: Imran Ahmad Khan (Independent - Wakefield)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps his Department has taken to support freedom of religion in North Korea.

Answered by Nigel Adams

The UK continues to have strong concerns about the lack of freedom of religion or belief in North Korea. We continue to urge North Korea to uphold its human rights obligations and engage substantively with the international community on this issue. We regularly raise our concerns directly with the North Korean authorities and at the UN, including most recently through the Human Rights Council in March 2021.

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities.

The Minister responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, underlined the UK's commitment to FoRB for all in a number of international meetings in November 2020, speaking at the Ministerial to Advance FoRB and the Ministers' Forum of the Alliance. On 20 December 2020, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to FoRB by appointing Fiona Bruce MP as his Special Envoy for FoRB. Mrs Bruce represents the UK at meetings of the Alliance who work to advocate for the rights of individuals being discriminated against or persecuted on the basis of their faith or belief.

In 2019, the Bishop of Truro released a report commissioned by the then Foreign Secretary looking into the then FCO support for persecuted Christians, with recommendations to improve the lives of people persecuted for their religion, faith or belief. One of those recommendations related to the establishment of the UK's Global Human Rights sanctions regime. This regime came into effect on 6 July 2020 and allows us to designate those who commit serious human rights abuses or violations, including those who target individuals on the grounds of their religion or belief. We take decisions about whether particular individuals or entities could be subject to measures under the regime on a case-by-case basis. We have already designated two entities involved in administering the North Korean penal system.


Written Question
North Korea: Religious Freedom
Monday 11th January 2021

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 additional steps his Department is taking to protect freedom of religious belief in North Korea.

Answered by Nigel Adams

The UK continues to have strong concerns about the lack of freedom of religion or belief in North Korea. We continue to urge North Korea to uphold its human rights obligations and engage substantively with the international community on this issue. We regularly raise our concerns directly with the North Korean authorities and at the UN, including through the Human Rights Council and, most recently, in the Security Council in December 2020.

Defending the right to freedom of religion or belief for all is a priority for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. For example, the UK Government remains committed to implementing the recommendations from the Bishop of Truro's independent Review on persecuted Christians in full. One of those recommendations related to the establishment of the UK's Global Human Rights sanctions regime. This regime came into effect on 6 July 2020 and allows us to designate those who commit serious human rights abuses or violations, including those who target individuals on the grounds of their religion or belief. We take decisions about whether particular individuals or entities could be subject to measures under the regime on a case-by-case basis. We have already designated two entities involved in administering the North Korean penal system.