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1226734

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Bahrain: Capital Punishment
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Bahraini counterpart on allegations of (a) torture and (b) due process violations in the case of (i) Mohammed Ramadhan and (ii) Husain Moosa who have been sentenced to death in that country; and what recent comparative assessment he has made of the accuracy of (A) Bahrain's Special Investigation Unit, (B) the Bahraini Ombudsman and (C) independent experts at the International Rehabilitation for Torture Victims.
tabling member constituency	Coventry South
tabling member printed	Zarah Sultana
uin	77825
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Lord Ahmad, the Minister of State responsible for human rights, publicly expressed our deep concern at the decision by Bahrain's Court of Cassation to uphold the death penalty verdicts imposed on Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa on 13 July. We have raised both cases at senior levels with the Government of Bahrain. The Bahraini Government is fully aware that the UK opposes the death penalty, in all circumstances, as a matter of principle.</p><p>The UK welcomed the investigation by the Ombudsman and Special Investigation Unit into the cases of Mohammed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa, ultimately leading to their retrial - a first in Bahrain.</p><p>The UK is committed to supporting Bahrain's oversight bodies, including the Ministry of Interior Ombudsman and the independent Special Investigations Unit. We continue to believe that Bahrain is taking steps in the right direction to improve its performance on justice and security issues. The support we provide to these bodies, including in partnership with UN Development Programme, contributes to the ongoing development of their capacity and capability, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 16.</p><p>The UK Government takes note of a number of sources of information when making assessments on Bahrain. Our latest assessment was published as part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's Human Rights and Democracy Report in July 2020.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 01/09/2020 13:16:52 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4786 label Biography information for Zarah Sultana

1226861

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Nigeria: Christianity
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps the Government is taking to help protect Christians in Nigeria following the death of nine Christians in an attack by Fulani Militants in March 2020.
tabling member constituency	Upper Bann
tabling member printed	Carla Lockhart
uin	77849
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The UK Government condemns all incidents of intercommunal violence in Nigeria; these incidents have had devastating effects on communities of all faiths, including Christians. 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><p>In February, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Wilton Park co-hosted a conference on 'Fostering Social Cohesion in Nigeria', exploring the complex causes of conflict and possible solutions to help ease tensions and reduce violence. A report has issued with recommendations, link here: <a href="https://tinyurl.com/y38l9xrc" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/y38l9xrc</a>.</p><p>In June, I discussed intercommunal violence in Nigeria with President Buhari's Chief of Staff. The British High Commissioner and her team are increasing their diplomatic engagement with states affected by intercommunal violence and met with NGOs working on reconciliation to discuss the situation and the efforts they are taking to address it.</p><p>The UK Government will continue to work with Nigeria to address the drivers of intercommunal violence in many states and find solutions that meet the needs of all communities.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 11:52:40 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4857 label Biography information for Carla Lockhart

1226868

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	FSO Safer
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled, UK warns of catastrophic environmental threat from hazardous Yemeni oil tanker, what diplomatic steps he is taking to tackle the (a) humanitarian, (b) environmental and (c) economic threat posed by a potential an oil spill from the FSO Safer oil tanker in the Red Sea.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
uin	77738
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The FSO SAFER oil tanker is an environmental disaster waiting to happen. Unless UN experts are allowed to access it, we are facing a catastrophic environmental threat. The Houthis cannot continue to hold the environment and people's livelihoods to ransom. It is in everyone's interests, especially the suffering people of Yemen, that this tanker is made safe immediately. In support of UN efforts, we have raised this directly with the Houthis and with other leaders to try avert an avoidable crisis. We are also working with the UN and other donors to ensure there is sufficient funding and that contingency plans are in place should a spill occur in the interim.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 01/09/2020 11:42:49 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

1226869

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Yemen: Coronavirus
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the level of risk to Yemen of the covid-19 pandemic.
tabling member constituency	Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough
tabling member printed	Gill Furniss
uin	77739
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Modelling funded by the Department for International Development predicts that Yemen could suffer up to 85,000 COVID-19 deaths in a worst case scenario. In response, the UK is disbursing its £160 million commitment to Yemen promptly this financial year to help the UN to tackle the spread of COVID-19. We expect our funding to provide over 700,000 medical consultations for a range of health conditions, train 1,500 healthcare workers to work safely in a COVID-19 environment and provide a much-needed boost to nearly 600 health centres to continue providing existing health services.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly question first answered 01/09/2020 11:30:48 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4571 label Biography information for Gill Furniss

1226872

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Ethiopia: Violence
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Ethiopian counterpart on tackling ethnic and political violence in that country.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	77823
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The UK is concerned by reports of violence and displacement of people in a number of regions in Ethiopia, and continues to raise the importance of human rights with the Government of Ethiopia at the highest levels. I raised this most recently with the Government of Ethiopia when visiting Addis Ababa at the end of July. The UK supports the efforts of the Government of Ethiopia to strengthen accountability and has been encouraged by their efforts to open the political space - in particular the release of thousands of political prisoners and the reform of legislation which constrained civil and political rights. We are committed to supporting civil society organisations in Ethiopia so that they can play an increasing role in monitoring rights.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 11:54:52 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1226873

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Ethiopia: Politics and Government
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the effect of UK online activity on the political situation in Ethiopia.
tabling member constituency	Twickenham
tabling member printed	Munira Wilson
uin	77824
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>A number of Ethiopian political groupings have an online presence in countries around the world, including the UK. We do not assess that Ethiopian-linked online activity emanating from the UK has significantly impacted the political situation in Ethiopia.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 11:25:50 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4776 label Biography information for Munira Wilson

1226876

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Guatemala: Courts
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Guatemalan counterpart on the maintenance of the independence of the Constitutional Court in that country.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	77734
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Guatemala City is actively supporting anti-corruption efforts and the promotion of the rule of law and judicial independence in Guatemala. Her Majesty's Ambassador Nick Whittingham recently demonstrated support for Judge Aifan through a meeting as well as a subsequent social media post. Moving forward, our Embassy is planning a series of virtual meetings and events that will promote the importance of the separation of powers, a strong judiciary, and the rule of law. It will be engaging with the Guatemalan Government, domestic civil society organisations, lawyers, academics, and the private sector.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton grouped question UIN 77735 question first answered 01/09/2020 07:05:41 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1226877

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Guatemala: Rule of Law
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps he is taking to support anti-corruption efforts and promote the rule of law and judicial independence in Guatemala.
tabling member constituency	Hornsey and Wood Green
tabling member printed	Catherine West
uin	77735
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>Our Embassy in Guatemala City is actively supporting anti-corruption efforts and the promotion of the rule of law and judicial independence in Guatemala. Her Majesty's Ambassador Nick Whittingham recently demonstrated support for Judge Aifan through a meeting as well as a subsequent social media post. Moving forward, our Embassy is planning a series of virtual meetings and events that will promote the importance of the separation of powers, a strong judiciary, and the rule of law. It will be engaging with the Guatemalan Government, domestic civil society organisations, lawyers, academics, and the private sector.</p> answering member constituency Aldridge-Brownhills answering member printed Wendy Morton grouped question UIN 77734 question first answered 01/09/2020 07:05:41 answering member 4358 label Biography information for Wendy Morton
tabling member	4523 label Biography information for Catherine West

1226878

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Hopewell Chin'ono
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussion he has had with his Zimbabwean counterpart on the recent arrest of the journalist Hopewell Chin’ono on the charge of inciting violence as a result of his reporting of alleged corruption at high levels in the Government in Zimbabwe.
tabling member constituency	Rotherham
tabling member printed	Sarah Champion
uin	77637
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The UK is deeply worried by the arrest of Hopewell Chin'ono on 20 July, and by his continued detention. I tweeted on 23 July to express my concern at the treatment of Mr Chin'ono and to urge the Zimbabwean authorities to uphold the right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Zimbabwe's constitution. When I spoke to the Zimbabwean Foreign Minister, Sibusiso Moyo, on 8 June, I urged him to ensure the Government of Zimbabwe makes concrete progress on human rights and respects the rule of law. The British Ambassador to Harare also met with the Zimbabwean Foreign Minister on Friday 14 August and raised our concerns. Officials at the British Embassy in Harare are closely following developments on Mr Chin'ono's case.</p><p>The UK is committed to the promotion of media freedom and the protection of journalists. Media freedom is an essential quality of any open society. People must be allowed to discuss and debate issues freely, to challenge their governments, and to make decisions informed by a strong and robust media. Zimbabwe is one of the UK's Media Freedom Focus Countries: we have called on the Government of Zimbabwe to commit to the Global Pledge on Media Freedom and to end the harassment of journalists, improve legislation and work with the international community to protect media freedom.</p> answering member constituency Rochford and Southend East answering member printed James Duddridge question first answered 01/09/2020 11:45:39 answering member 1559 label Biography information for Sir James Duddridge
tabling member	4267 label Biography information for Sarah Champion

1226931

registered interest
date	21/07/2020
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	Hezbollah and Yemen: Weapons
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of UN Security Council resolutions (a) 1540, (b) 1701 and (c) 2216 in prohibiting the proliferation of weapons to Hezbollah and the Houthis.
tabling member constituency	Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
tabling member printed	John Lamont
uin	77765
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 01/09/2020 answer text <p>The UK remains concerned by reports that Hizballah continues to amass an arsenal of weapons in breach of UN Security Council Resolutions 1559 and 1701. We regularly raise this at the UN Security Council, and we call on all parties to abide by the provisions of the relevant UNSCRs. The UK is also concerned that, according to the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen, military equipment of Iranian origin was introduced into Yemen after the imposition of the targeted arms embargo, in violation of Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015). This reaffirms our concerns about destabilising Iranian activity in Yemen and the wider region.</p> answering member constituency Braintree answering member printed James Cleverly grouped question UIN 77766 question first answered 01/09/2020 13:19:47 answering member 4366 label Biography information for James Cleverly
tabling member	4608 label Biography information for John Lamont