Questions and Answers: International Human Rights Day: Nigeria, Turkey, Yazidis, Hong Kong, HSBC, Ethiopia, Tigray, Pakistan
Question text
Lord Alton of Liverpool To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the re-designation of Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern by the government of the United States; and whether they intend to take similar steps.
Lord Alton of Liverpool To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports of arrests by Faylaq Al-Sham of people in Yazidi villages near Afrin in northwest Syria on 4 December; what assessment they have made of the wellbeing of those who have been arrested; and what representations they have made to the government of Turkey about (1) the release of any such people, and (2) the protection of Yazidis in Afrin.
Lord Alton of Liverpool To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of reports that HSBC has frozen the bank accounts of (1) the Good Neighbourhood North District Church in Hong Kong, and (2) its pastor and his wife; and what assessment they have made of whether such action has been taken because of that Church’s links with pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong.
Lord Alton of Liverpool To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Ethiopia about reports that it has refused the offer of international co-operation in investigating the Mai Kadra massacre; if they have, what response they received; and, if not, whether they intend to make representations.
Lord Alton of Liverpool To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about its publication Policy Brief by National Commission on the Rights of the Child on Forced Conversion with Recommendations after Analysis of Arzoo Case, published on 7 December; and what steps they are taking to prevent the practices analysed in the publication.
Lord Alton of Liverpool To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assistance they have given to the government of Pakistan (1) to expedite prosecutions of those responsible for, and (2) to secure redress for those affected by, forced marriages and conversions.
Government answer on Magnitsky Sanctions against those destroying human rights and democracy in Hong Kong
Lord Alton of Liverpool – To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Six-monthly
Report on Hong Kong 1 January to 30 June 2020, published on 23 November, and the
three breaches of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration by the government of China,
what steps they are taking to work with international partners to implement coordinated
sanctions against those responsible for such breaches.
[HL10654]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon – We continue to bring together our international partners
to stand up for the people of Hong Kong, to call out the violation of their freedoms, and
to hold China to their international obligations. As the Foreign Secretary made clear in
his foreword to the Six-monthly Report on Hong Kong, the international community has
been vocal in setting out its concerns about Hong Kong. On 6 October at the UN General
Assembly Third Committee, the UK worked with 38 countries to issue a statement urging
the relevant authorities to guarantee the rights protected under the Sino-British Joint
Declaration. On 18 November, the Foreign Secretary released a statement with his
Australian, Canadian, New Zealand and US counterparts, urging the Chinese central
authorities to re-consider their actions against Hong Kong’s elected legislature.
On 6 July, the Government established the Global Human Rights (‘Magnitsky’) sanctions
regime. It would not be appropriate to speculate who may be designated as to do so could
risk the impact of future designations. To list someone under this regime involves
building an evidence base to identify accurately and responsibly those involved, and that
can be a long and complex process.
