1 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the trends in the level of international humanitarian law breaches committed as a result of shelling in Yemen. Biography information for Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck Yemen: Military Intervention 2020-07-22 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 78682 South Shields 1 Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck false 2020-09-01T13:23:04.677Z Braintree James Cleverly false 2020-09-01 Biography information for James Cleverly <p>The UK takes alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and human rights law extremely seriously. Whenever the UK receives reports of alleged violations of IHL, we routinely seek information from all credible sources, including from non-governmental and international organisations.</p> 16 House of Commons 78909 Biography information for Robert Largan 2020-07-22 16 1 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Germany: Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps High Peak Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2020-09-01T13:21:53.27Z Braintree James Cleverly false 2020-09-01 <p>We do not routinely comment on intelligence matters or specific threats. We continue to use all the tools at our disposal to counter threats to national security, working with our allies. On 8 January 2019, the UK and a number of European partners jointly raised with Iran our deep concerns about hostile activities and plots being planned and perpetrated in Europe. We have long expressed our deep concerns about the destabilising activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and IRGC Qods Force. The Government is clear that Iran should instead look to play a constructive role in regional stability.</p> 78910 false Robert Largan To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his German counterpart on that country’s detention of people suspected spying for Iran’s Quds Force. Foreign and Commonwealth Office High Peak 16 1 Iran: Espionage false 2020-09-01T13:21:53.207Z Braintree James Cleverly false 2020-09-01 <p>We do not routinely comment on intelligence matters or specific threats. We continue to use all the tools at our disposal to counter threats to national security, working with our allies. On 8 January 2019, the UK and a number of European partners jointly raised with Iran our deep concerns about hostile activities and plots being planned and perpetrated in Europe. We have long expressed our deep concerns about the destabilising activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and IRGC Qods Force. The Government is clear that Iran should instead look to play a constructive role in regional stability.</p> 78909 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2020-07-22 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office Robert Largan 78910 To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of Iranians espionage activity in Europe on the (a) national and (b) regional security. 2020-07-22 John Penrose Nigeria: Christianity false 78595 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2020-09-01T11:57:54.427Z Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge false 2020-09-01 Biography information for Sir James Duddridge <p>We are concerned by increasing insecurity in Nigeria. While communities of different religions live together peacefully across much of Nigeria, incidents of intercommunal violence occur across many states in the country. These continue to negatively impact on the human rights of communities of all faiths, including Christians. Religious identity is a factor in many incidents of intercommunal violence but the root causes are more complex and frequently relate to competition over resources and criminality.</p><p>In North East Nigeria, attacks by terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa over the past decade have had a devastating effect on communities of all faiths. These groups attack indiscriminately those who do not subscribe to their extremist views, abusing both international human rights and international humanitarian law including the rights to life, freedom of religion or belief, freedom from slavery and right for children not to be used in armed conflict. Although 2014 saw the greatest number of attacks on civilians, terrorist attacks continue to occur on a regular basis in the North East. While Christians have been targeted by the terrorist groups, the majority of people killed have been Muslim. We condemn all terrorist attacks and are providing a comprehensive package of security, humanitarian and stabilisation support to Nigeria to help tackle the terrorist threat.</p><p>In January, the Prime Minister discussed insecurity in Nigeria and UK support with President Buhari. Most recently, I raised concerns over intercommunal violence in Nigeria with President Buhari's Chief of Staff in June. We encourage the Government of Nigeria to implement long-term solutions that address the root causes of conflict, and for those responsible for human rights violations or abuses to be held to account. We will continue to make clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting civilians, including all ethnic and religious groups, and human rights for all Nigerians.</p> Biography information for John Penrose 1 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment has he made of the (a) extent of and (b) trends in the level of incidences of persecution and human rights abuses against Christians in Nigeria. Weston-super-Mare 16 false 1 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2020-07-22 Weston-super-Mare Foreign and Commonwealth Office 78596 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Nigeria: Christianity 16 John Penrose To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential identities of the perpetrators of incidences of persecution and human rights abuses against Christians in Nigeria. 2020-09-01T11:49:38.877Z Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge false 2020-09-01 <p>In North East Nigeria, attacks by terrorist groups, including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, have had devastating effects on communities of all faiths, including Christians. These groups seek to undermine the right to freedom of religion by attacking indiscriminately those who do not subscribe to their extremist views. I have made clear to Parliament that the UK Government condemns all attacks made by these groups.</p><p>In many states in Nigeria, incidents of intercommunal violence have occurred between communities of different faiths and ethnicities. Reprisal attacks by affected communities have also occurred. Religious identity is a factor in this, but the drivers of intercommunal conflict are complex and include competition over natural resources and criminality. We are working with the Nigerian Government to respond to the challenge of resource competition. We have provided technical support to the Nigerian Government for the development of the National Livestock Transformation Plan. The plan aims to promote cattle-rearing in one place, rather than the traditional nomadic practice, to limit competition over land and resources leading to violence.</p><p>It is vital that those responsible for attacks in Nigeria are held to account. We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities, at the highest levels, the importance of protecting civilians, including ethnic and religious minorities, and human rights for all.</p> Nigeria: Christianity false To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the extent to which Nigerian national or state Government officials have been involved in either preventing or allowing incidences of persecution and human rights abuses to take place against Christians in Nigeria. Foreign and Commonwealth Office 1 78597 Foreign and Commonwealth Office John Penrose 2020-07-22 Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2020-09-01T13:12:30.927Z Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge false 2020-09-01 <p>The UK Government is firmly committed to promoting and protecting human rights around the world. We have made clear to the Nigerian authorities at the highest levels the importance of protecting civilians, including all ethnic and religious groups, and human rights for all Nigerians.</p><p>We are aware of allegations of Nigerian military or government complicity in attacks on communities of all faiths in Nigeria. However, we do not assess that there is systemic complicity by the Nigerian authorities in the persecution of any peoples in Nigeria. The Nigerian Armed Forces are deployed in North East Nigeria to tackle the threat from terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa, who continue to cause immense suffering on communities of all faiths. Through our engagement and programmatic activity in Nigeria, the UK Government is supporting efforts to bring about the long-term changes needed to improve human rights compliance. For example, UK capacity building training for the Nigerian Armed Forces specifically includes topics on human rights compliance and rules of engagement.</p><p>In January, the Prime Minister discussed insecurity in Nigeria with President Buhari. In June, I raised security concerns in Nigeria with President Buhari's Chief of Staff. We will continue to monitor levels of violence in Nigeria, and to push for allegations of human rights abuses to be investigated and for those responsible to be held to account.</p> 16 Weston-super-Mare Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2020-09-01T11:29:12.837Z Rochford and Southend East James Duddridge false 2020-09-01 <p>In North East Nigeria, terrorist groups including Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa have targeted both Christian and Muslim communities. Despite appalling attacks on Christians, the majority of those killed have been Muslim. Additionally, in many states across Nigeria incidents of intercommunal violence have affected Christian and Muslim communities. While religion is a factor in some incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria, the root causes are more complex and frequently relate to competition over resources and criminality.</p><p>We continue to call on the Nigerian Government to take urgent action to protect all communities affected by violence in Nigeria and carry out full investigations to bring perpetrators to justice.</p><p>On 6 July, the UK Government established the Global Human Rights sanctions regime by laying regulations in Parliament under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. This sanctions regime gives the Government a powerful new tool to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations or abuses, including those who target individuals on the grounds of their religion or belief. It is longstanding practice not to speculate on future sanctions designations as to do so could reduce the impact of the designations.</p> 1 Weston-super-Mare 2020-07-22 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office 16 Nigeria: Christianity 78598 To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of applying sanctions to those responsible for committing or allowing incidences of persecution and human rights abuses against Christians in Nigeria. John Penrose false Foreign and Commonwealth Office 16 Jim Shannon 78671 Biography information for Jim Shannon Foreign and Commonwealth Office 2020-07-22 false Strangford Foreign and Commonwealth Office China: Sanctions To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to take account of the judgment of the Independent Tribunal into Forced Organ Harvesting from Prisoners of Conscience in China when making an assessment of the application of Magnitsky sanctions; and whether he plans to include in the list of targets for sanctions people named in that tribunal’s judgment as responsible for that crime. 2020-09-01T14:26:27.837Z Selby and Ainsty Nigel Adams false 2020-09-01 Biography information for Nigel Adams <p>The FCO are carefully considering further suggestions for designations under the Global Human Rights regime. We will keep all evidence and potential listings under close review. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt who may be designated as we do not want to reduce the impact of the designations</p> 1 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office Foreign and Commonwealth Office false To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to include Huang Jiefu former Vice Minister for Health in China who has been held responsible for China’s practice of forced organ harvesting from prisoners of conscience in the Magnitsky sanctions list. 2020-07-22 16 Strangford 2020-09-01T14:07:23.057Z Selby and Ainsty Nigel Adams false 2020-09-01 <p>The FCO are carefully considering further suggestions for designations under the Global Human Rights regime. We will keep all evidence and potential listings under close review. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt who may be designated as we do not want to reduce the impact of the designations.</p> 1 Jim Shannon Huang Jiefu 78672 Birmingham, Selly Oak Foreign and Commonwealth Office 16 Middle East: International Assistance 2020-07-22 Steve McCabe Foreign and Commonwealth Office Biography information for Steve McCabe 2020-09-01T11:39:46.213Z Braintree James Cleverly false 2020-09-01 <p>The UK remains committed to making progress towards a two-state solution. We welcome efforts towards peace. We also support the growth of civil society in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and efforts to improve the Palestinian economy. We will continue to monitor the People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund as it progresses through the US legislative system.</p> 1 78492 To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he plans to allocate funding to the People-to-People Partnership for Peace Fund upon its creation. Foreign and Commonwealth Office false 10 0 15263