Freedom of Religion or Belief: International Conference

He thanked the right hon. Gentleman for his contribution and expressed outrage at India's home demolition policy, which is destroying Indian Muslims' foundation for stability and life. He asked if the speaker shares his concern and agrees with the all-party parliamentary group on human rights when it says that India is a 'diminishing democracy'. He thanks the shadow Minister for discussing his family's experience and highlights the ongoing issues of racism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia in the UK. He urges all parliamentarians to lead by example and reaffirm their commitment to religious tolerance and freedom of belief, questioning why the Government has not adopted a definition of Islamophobia. He questioned the government about its commitment to sanctioning Chen Quanguo, who is considered the chief architect of the Uyghur genocide in Xinjiang.

There is a great deal of interest among parliamentarians about the publication date for the Truro report, which my hon. Friend as Prime Minister's special envoy for freedom of religion or belief should confirm to be imminent.

Expressed concerns about the persecution of individuals based on their religious beliefs in various countries such as Pakistan, India, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Myanmar, Xinjiang, Iran, and highlighted specific cases like Maira Shahbaz and Mubarak Bala. Noted that over 350,000 members of the Baha'i community in Iran face persecution while 2,700 Yazidi women and girls remain unaccounted for after being kidnapped by Daesh. Emphasised the importance of hearing directly from those affected at next week's conference.

She thanked Fiona Bruce for her work as the Prime Minister's special envoy and praised Jim Shannon's advocacy in the all-party parliamentary group. Carla highlighted the persecution of religious minorities, particularly Christians, in Nigeria and Myanmar, citing statistics from Open Doors that 896 Nigerian civilians were killed in violent attacks in Q1 2022, including hundreds of Christians. She urged the Foreign Office to highlight these issues more and work with the international community for redress. She respects another Member's opinion but emphasizes the rights of the unborn child, reminding that every pregnancy involves two lives and encouraging recognition of the baby in the womb.

Mr Leigh highlighted the ongoing persecution of Christians and other religious groups globally, citing specific cases such as Maira Shahbaz in Pakistan. He questioned the effectiveness of UK aid to Pakistan regarding freedom of religion and urged the Government to utilise its influence more assertively. Mr Leigh also discussed instances of violence against Muslims in India and Christians in Nigeria, stressing that these issues are often misrepresented by bureaucrats who blame climate change or resource competition rather than addressing communal hatred and persecution directly. Asked whether Maira Shahbaz would be sanctioned.

Praised the hon. Member for Congleton's commitment to freedom of religion or belief, emphasising its importance and stressing the need for international collaboration. Highlighted concerns about rising intolerance, oppression by authoritarian governments, use of technology for repression, discrimination in democracies, and the alarming statistic that 13 Christians are killed daily in Nigeria. Emphasised the importance of supporting persecuted minorities like Muslims and mentioned personal family history with religious persecution.

My hon. Friend agrees that we—and Governments—need to put what people sometimes call feet to our prayers. The Hebron Free Presbyterian Church in his constituency opened its doors to fleeing evangelicals from Ukraine who were suffering persecution as well as the murderous onslaught of the Russians.

Congratulated Fiona Bruce on bringing the debate, discussed visits to Nigeria and Poland, highlighted persecution of Christians in Nigeria with an average of 13 deaths per day due to religiously motivated attacks. Asked for prioritisation in resettlement schemes for Afghans at risk because of faith or belief, cutting ties with China over Uyghurs treatment, ending harmful blasphemy laws, and using aid/trade as a condition for improved freedom of religion or belief. He thanked the right hon. Gentleman for bringing forward the topic, mentioning their opportunity to make a point in Nigeria regarding freedom of religion or belief. He expressed hope that the shadow Minister would address this issue in his contribution.

Hosting the conference is a privilege. The hon. Member agrees that if we are to continue being a role model in freedom of religion or belief, we should be doing more to recognise and help the persecuted elsewhere, such as the Uyghurs who are facing genocide by the People's Republic of China. Blasphemy laws in Pakistan, such as section 298, persecute people who are part of a different branch of the religion but share overarching beliefs with the majority. She questioned if there is anything the international community can do to promote respect and tolerance of beliefs. Christians face increasing persecution in many parts of the world, with around 91% of murders of Christians happening in Africa. She asks what can be achieved through international partnerships to help Governments like Nigeria tackle this issue.

Congratulates his hon. Friend on securing this important debate and suggests that countries attending the international conference establish their own Truro review to maintain the objectives outlined in Bishop of Truro's report.

Mr Fabricant stresses the importance of sharing best practices on how countries can prevent FORB violations and highlights the need for international collaboration involving both governments and civil society organizations.