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, what steps his Department is taking to relieve sanctions on Syria in order to improve the humanitarian situation in that country.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK continues to pursue sanctions as a policy tool to hold the Syrian regime to account. UK sanctions send a clear message to the regime and its supporters that we will not stand by whilst the regime continues to commit serious human rights abuses.
Our Syria sanctions carefully target specific individuals, entities and sectors. The UK and European partners take all possible steps to mitigate against the wider impact of sanctions on Syrian civilians. We do not sanction medicine, medical equipment and medical assistance. Items required to fight the COVID-19 pandemic are not subject to direct restrictions on export, supply, financing or use in Syria. Humanitarian exemptions apply in relation to other equipment required by the Syrian pharmaceutical industry.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 12 March (HL13797), whether the principle of ‘do no harm’ also applies to economic sanctions on Syria; and what assessment they have made of the statement by the UN Office of the High Commissioner on 7 August 2020 that sanctions “are bringing suffering and death" in countries like Syria.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK remains committed to supporting a political settlement to the conflict in Syria in line with UNSCR 2254. Sanctions remain a key lever to press the regime to engage seriously with the political process. We remain committed to the principle of 'do no harm' with sanctions in Syria and seek to minimise the impact of sanctions on ordinary Syrians. We carefully target specific individuals and entities who are part of a new wave of emerging elites that have profited from the conflict. We do not sanction medicine, medical equipment and medical assistance. Items required to fight the COVID-19 pandemic are not subject to direct restrictions on export, supply, financing or use in Syria.
The Assad regime and its backers blame 'Western' sanctions for the failing economy in Syria. In reality, the regime has devastated its own economy through cronyism, corruption and brutality and must be held to account.
The UK remains at the forefront of the humanitarian response to the crisis in Syria and the region, and will continue to be so. We have now committed £3.7 billion to the Syria Crisis since 2012, our largest ever response to a single humanitarian crisis
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he has taken to press for international access to monitor the conditions of Syrian detainees held by (a) the Assad regime, (b) ISIS, and (c) the Syrian Democratic Forces.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The latest UN report from the Commission of Inquiry is a shocking reminder of why Syria remains one of the worst human rights crises in the world. The UK has repeatedly condemned the use of illegal detention. We support the UN's request to the Asad regime and Syrian armed groups to allow humanitarian actors and medical teams unhindered access to prisons. We have raised the plight of detainees held by the Asad regime, affiliated militias and proscribed terrorist organisations at the UN Security Council, most recently during our national statement on 15 March and through our leadership at the Human Rights Council, where this month we are hosting a side event to discuss next steps for accountability. We expect all parties to the Syrian conflict to respect their obligations and responsibilities towards civilians under the applicable international law regimes that apply, including international humanitarian law - this includes providing the necessary access for humanitarian organisations to reach those in need.
Justice and accountability for detainees is a central issue for the UN-led political process and we fully support the UN Syria Envoy's efforts to work for the release of detainees, as a vital step towards a political settlement to end the conflict. Additionally we continue to pursue sanctions as a policy tool to hold the Syrian regime to account and to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to the Syrian regime on (a) freeing detainees and (b) holding to account those responsible for detention and disappearance; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK has repeatedly condemned the use of illegal detention by the Assad regime, affiliated militias and proscribed terrorist organisations. We support the UN's call to the Assad regime and Syrian armed groups to release a sufficient number of detainees to prevent COVID-19 spreading in detention facilities, as well as their urgent request to allow humanitarian actors and medical teams unhindered access to prisons. We have raised the plight of detainees at the UN Security Council and through our leadership at the Human Rights Council where we have included language on enforced disappearance in recent Syria Resolutions. However, we do not engage directly with the regime in Damascus, which has lost its legitimacy through its atrocities against the Syrian people.
We recognise that justice and accountability for detainees is a central issue for the UN-led political process and we fully support the UN Syria Envoy's efforts to work for the release of detainees, as a vital step towards a political settlement to end the conflict. Additionally we continue to pursue sanctions as a policy tool to hold the Syrian regime to account and to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement by the government of the United States' special representative for Syria engagement and special envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, on 9 December that sanctions against Syria have been a “very effective strategy”.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
US Sanctions are a matter for the US government. The UK has imposed sanctions on Syria to end the violent repression of civilians in Syria. These sanctions send a clear message to the regime and its supporters, that we will not stand by whilst the regime continues to commit serious human rights abuses. We continue to impose sanctions on those responsible in order to maintain pressure for a political settlement to end the conflict.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the government of the United States' special representative for Syria engagement and special envoy to the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, on 9 December, what discussions they have had with that government about whether its objectives in Syria include (1) the denial of territory, and (2) resources to, the government of Syria.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
HMG regularly discusses the situation in Syria with the US administration. On 22 October the Foreign Secretary and US Secretary of State, along with foreign ministers of other likeminded countries, issued a joint statement that made clear our support for a political solution to end the conflict, as set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. That statement once again reaffirmed our shared position that such a solution must preserve the territorial integrity, unity, and sovereignty of Syria. We will continue to use targeted sanctions to increase pressure on the Assad regime to engage seriously with the political process.
Asked by: Allan Dorans (Scottish National Party - Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he (a) has taken and (b) is taking to put pressure on the Syrian regime to release detainees; and what steps the UK is taking as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to (ii) push for the release of those detainees and (ii) recognise justice and accountability for detainees as a central issue in a future peace process.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK uses several tools to put pressure on the Syrian regime to release detainees, which is a key tenet of UN Security Council Resolution 2254. We recognise that justice and accountability for detainees is a central issue for the UN-led political process and we fully support the UN Syria Envoy's efforts to work for the release of detainees, as a vital step towards a political settlement to end the conflict. The UK has contributed over £13 million since 2012 in support of Syrian and international efforts to gather evidence and assist victims of human rights abuses and violations. Additionally we continue to pursue sanctions as a policy tool to hold the Syrian regime to account and to bring about a peaceful solution to the conflict. We have raised the plight of detainees at the UN Security Council and through our leadership at the Human Rights Council where we have included language on enforced disappearance in recent Syria Resolutions. We support the UN's call to the Assad regime and Syrian armed groups to release a sufficient number of detainees to prevent COVID-19 spreading in detention facilities, as well as their urgent request to allow humanitarian actors and medical teams unhindered access to prisons.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 16 July (HL6213), (1) when, and (2) how, they intend to transfer existing EU sanctions relating to Syria into UK law; and whether Parliament will be given time to discuss that transfer.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Her Majesty's Government is transferring existing EU sanctions into UK law through regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, including the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. These regulations will come into force on 1 January 2021, at which point existing EU sanctions will become autonomous UK sanctions. The Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 were debated and approved in both Houses in April and May 2019.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 June (HL5356), whether EU sanctions will continue to apply in the UK after the Transition Period.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
After the Transition Period, the UK and the EU will pursue independent sanctions policies, driven by our respective foreign policies. Her Majesty's Government is transferring existing EU sanctions into UK law through regulations made under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. We aim to transition the remaining EU sanctions regime into UK law by the end of the transition period but, as a safeguard, any sanctions regimes which we do not transition by then will be retained by effect of the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018. These regulations will come into force on 1 January 2021, at which point existing EU sanctions will become autonomous UK sanctions.
Asked by: Baroness Cox (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the same exceptions to sanctions applicable to international humanitarian organisations also apply to healthcare agencies that are part of the government of Syria.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We can confirm that healthcare agencies that are part of the Syrian regime are not designated under EU sanctions.