Prisoners of Conscience 2025-05-01

She raises concern about Armenian prisoners of war detained by Azerbaijan, arguing that they are held for political reasons without legal redress. She supports her constituent Annette Moskofian's efforts to raise awareness on this issue.

The hon. Member raised questions about the effectiveness of UK interventions for prisoner releases and highlighted specific cases, such as Ali Minaei's imprisonment in Iran for attending a church service. He emphasised the moral duty to persevere despite limited leverage over foreign governments.

The hon. Member highlighted the Liberal Democrats' commitment to freedom of religion and belief, emphasising the need for global action against religious persecution and calling on the UK Government to issue a UK-China audit to address human rights abuses.

He emphasised the importance of supporting voices for democracy and freedom, particularly in Russia. He called for specific actions such as using Magnitsky sanctions to stand against human rights abuses, banning imports from areas with egregious abuses like Xinjiang, enshrining consular services access in law, developing a strategy for promoting LGBT+ rights globally, and stronger UK engagement with international bodies.

He questioned the dichotomy between opposing authoritarian rule while risking involvement in sovereign decisions of independent countries. He highlighted the tension created when imposing our values on other cultures and asked where the right balance lies.

He praised the hon. Member for Strangford for securing the debate and acknowledged the UK's long-standing role in defending human rights. He mentioned specific examples like the Armenian genocide, Uyghurs in Xinjiang, and Baha’i persecution. Emphasised the importance of balance between good relations with other countries and standing up against human rights abuses.

Supports the call to action on individuals imprisoned for their beliefs, highlighting specific countries like Venezuela, Egypt, and Turkey. He questions the Government's engagement with these countries' governments regarding prisoners of conscience.

Raises concerns about Jimmy Lai’s case in Hong Kong, urging for more action from the UK government. He questions whether the Government's economic alignment with China is affecting their advocacy efforts.

Emphasises the need for Britain to lead in defending religious freedom and calls for specific cases of prisoners of conscience to be raised by the Government. He mentions Venezuela's lack of democratic change.

Supports the work of the all-party parliamentary group and questions whether the FCDO is actively supporting their efforts in advocating for prisoners of conscience. She also asks about the special envoy's role.

Questions if UK aid allocation conditions include progress on safeguarding freedom of religion or belief and whether financial assistance is leveraged to encourage reform in countries with poor records. He emphasises the need for unwavering defence of religious freedoms.

Upheld freedoms while addressing concerns about potential back-door blasphemy laws. Highlighted positive developments in Vietnam, emphasising the UK's willingness to support the country in implementing human rights recommendations. Mentioned the importance of engaging with human rights defenders globally, citing examples such as Viktoriia Roshchyna and Dr Nader al-Sakkaf.

Acknowledged contributions from all Members, emphasising the interconnectedness of religious persecution and human rights abuses. Highlighted the importance of being a voice for those who are persecuted due to their faith or beliefs.