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1135687

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Pakistan: Royal Visits
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, during their forthcoming visit to Pakistan, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit (1) the slums inhabited by the minority Christian community, and (2) members of Shahbaz Bhatti’s family.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16780
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>​The details of the programme for the visit by Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to Pakistan have not yet been agreed. For security reasons, we would not in any case comment on details in advance of the visit.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:37:10 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135688

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Pakistan: Minority Groups
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government when they last raised the plight of minorities in Pakistan with the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; what response they received; and whether they asked the Secretary-General to raise continued human rights violations with the government of Pakistan.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16781
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We continue to be in close contact with the Commonwealth Secretariat on its support to member states to live up to the commitments to tolerance, to human rights, good governance and the rule of law set out in the Commonwealth Charter.</p><p>In addition, the British Government will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:38:46 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135689

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Pakistan: Blasphemy
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the sentencing of Shagufta Kauser and her husband to death in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy; what assessment they have made of whether Shagufta Kauser is (1) from a Christian minority, and (2) illiterate; what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan on her behalf; what response they have received to these representations; and what estimate they have made of the number of people currently facing the death sentence in Pakistan for alleged blasphemy.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16782
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We continue to monitor the case of Shagufta Kauser and her husband Shafqat Emmanuel who were sentenced to death in April 2014. We understand that Shagufta Kauser is of the Christian faith and we are aware of media reports stating that she and her husband are both illiterate.</p><p>We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws with the government of Pakistan at a senior level. The harsh penalties for blasphemy, including the death penalty, add to these concerns. We remain firmly opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances. We have repeatedly called upon the Government of Pakistan to end capital punishment and, as a minimum, commit to publicly renewing the previously imposed moratorium on the death penalty. Concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities were raised with Pakistan's Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during a ministerial visit to Islamabad in February.</p><p>We do not hold figures for individuals on specific charges overseas. According to the US State Department 2018 Report on Freedom of Religion or Belief, at the time of publication, 77 individuals were imprisoned in Pakistan on blasphemy charges, 28 of whom had received death sentences.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:41:26 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135690

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	China: Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what consideration, if any, they have given to updating their travel advice for China to include the findings of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience from China, published on 17 June.
tabling member printed	Lord Alton of Liverpool
uin	HL16783
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We do not intend to update our travel advice to include the findings of the recent report by the pressure group “The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China”. We have reviewed the report and at present, our assessment remains that there is not a strong enough evidential base to substantiate the claim that systematic state-sponsored or sanctioned organ harvesting is taking place in China. We continue to keep this issue under review.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:42:02 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	738 label Biography information for Lord Alton of Liverpool

1135691

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christian Michel
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India to ensure that a trial date is set for Christian Michel following his arrest in July 2018 and subsequent extradition to India in December 2018.
tabling member printed	Baroness Couttie
uin	HL16784
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>Mr Michel's case is currently working its way through the Indian judiciary system. The British Government cannot interfere in the judicial process of another country, just as we would expect India to respect the UK's legal process. That said, we encourage all states to ensure that their domestic laws meet international human rights standards.</p><p>It is the responsibility of Mr Michel's legal team to ensure that a trial date is set. We have not made any representation to the Government of India about remarks made by Prime Minister Modi, but we have encouraged Mr Michel to seek advice from his legal team on this issue. Our staff in India continue to visit him and check his welfare. We are also supporting the family and in contact with the Indian authorities regarding his case.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL16785 question first answered 15/07/2019 14:43:47 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4583 label Biography information for Baroness Couttie

1135692

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Christian Michel
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) Christian Michel receives a fair trail when such a date is set, and (2) that any evidence used in such a trial is accurate; and what representations they have made, if any, to the government of India about the impact of remarks made by Prime Minister Modi during the recent elections about Christian Michel’s case.
tabling member printed	Baroness Couttie
uin	HL16785
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>Mr Michel's case is currently working its way through the Indian judiciary system. The British Government cannot interfere in the judicial process of another country, just as we would expect India to respect the UK's legal process. That said, we encourage all states to ensure that their domestic laws meet international human rights standards.</p><p>It is the responsibility of Mr Michel's legal team to ensure that a trial date is set. We have not made any representation to the Government of India about remarks made by Prime Minister Modi, but we have encouraged Mr Michel to seek advice from his legal team on this issue. Our staff in India continue to visit him and check his welfare. We are also supporting the family and in contact with the Indian authorities regarding his case.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon grouped question UIN HL16784 question first answered 15/07/2019 14:43:47 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4583 label Biography information for Baroness Couttie

1135693

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	China: Prisoners
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Final Judgment of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting, published on 17 June; and what actions they plan to take in response to that Judgment.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL16786
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 15/07/2019 answer text <p>We have noted the recent report by the pressure group “The International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China”. Officials attended public hearings organised by the group, and its report is one of a number of sources of information that we are taking into account when considering this issue.</p><p>If true, the practice of systematic, state-sponsored organ harvesting would be truly horrifying. As such, we continue to monitor the allegations and consider carefully all evidence presented on this issue. We have also recently consulted the World Health Organization in both Geneva and Beijing. Their view is that China is implementing an ethical, voluntary organ transplant system in accordance with international standards, though they do have concerns about overall transparency.</p><p>There is credible evidence that practitioners of Falun Gong are subjected to serious mistreatment. We regularly raise concerns with China, including on the extensive use of the death penalty and the treatment of religious and ethnic minorities. We continue to keep this issue under review.</p><p> </p><p> </p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 15/07/2019 14:45:50 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

1135694

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	China: Uyghurs
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are making to the government of China on the treatment of Uighur Muslims in China; and what plans they have to ensure that the human rights of Uighur Muslims are protected.
tabling member printed	The Lord Bishop of Coventry
uin	HL16787
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 08/07/2019 answer text <p>We have serious concerns about the situation in Xinjiang, where there are credible reports of over a million Uyghurs and other minorities being detained in so-called “re-education camps&quot;.</p><p>Ministers and senior officials frequently raise the human rights issues in the region with their Chinese counterparts. The Foreign Secretary highlighted our concerns with Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during his most recent visit to China in July 2018. Later that month, the Minister for Asia &amp; the Pacific did the same with his Chinese counterpart Vice Minister Guo Yezhou. Additionally, our Embassy in Beijing regularly raises the treatment of Uyghurs in Xinjiang with the Chinese authorities.</p><p>Further, we spoke publicly about the situation in the region at the 40th UN Human Rights Council in February and March 2019. I raised our concerns during my opening address on 25 February, and the UK spoke about Xinjiang during our “Item 4” national statement on 12 March. Following this, we co-sponsored a side event on “Protecting the fundamental freedoms in Xinjiang” on 13 March which helped to raise awareness of the situation among the international community.</p><p>Moreover, in our statement at China’s Universal Periodic Review on 6 November 2018, we made clear our concern about the treatment of Uyghurs in China. The UK issued a specific recommendation to China that it implements the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination’s recommendations on Xinjiang and allows the UN to monitor the implementation.</p><p>We will continue to raise the human rights situation in Xinjiang with the Chinese Government at all levels bilaterally and in appropriate UN fora, including the Human Rights Council.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 08/07/2019 15:32:26 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	4266 label Biography information for The Lord Bishop of Coventry

1135696

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Syria: Military Intervention
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 June (HL15998), whether Coalition forces and their partners were involved in the attacks on unarmed Syrian barges on 31 May; and if so, why.
tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
uin	HL16789
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>We have seen no evidence that Global Coalition forces or their partners were involved in attacks on unarmed Syrian barges on 31 May.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 10/07/2019 11:25:36 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox

1135697

registered interest
date	01/07/2019
answering body	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept id	16
answering dept short name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
answering dept sort name	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
hansard heading	Syria: Islamic State
house id	2
legislature	25277 pref label House of Lords
question text	To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any armed groups are being protected by the Global Coalition Against Daesh in the Al Tanf enclave; if so, what are the ideological orientations of  each of those groups; and whether any such groups have any connection to Daesh.
tabling member printed	Baroness Cox
uin	HL16790
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 10/07/2019 answer text <p>The sole purpose of the Global Coalition is to degrade and defeat Daesh. The Global Coalition does not and will not protect groups with any connection to Daesh. It is understood that the US provides support to local armed group Maghaweir al-Thowra in the Al Tanf Deconfliction Zone. It is not for the UK to comment on the nature or detail of the US' support.</p> answering member printed Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon question first answered 10/07/2019 11:26:14 answering member 4210 label Biography information for Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
tabling member	3364 label Biography information for Baroness Cox