On 16 July Lord Ahmad, the Minister for Human Rights Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, published the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s 2017 Annual Human Rights and Democracy Report. The official press release stated “The report is a barometer for the global human rights picture with particular emphasis on the FCO’s 30 Human Rights Priority Countries….
The APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief today issued the following Statement on the Appointment of the New Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief The APPG for International Freedom of Religion or Belief warmly welcomes Lord Ahmad in his new role as Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion or…
Lord Alton of Liverpool To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the continuing violence between communities and armed groups in Nigeria. Lord Alton of Liverpool (CB) My Lords, the tragic topicality of today’s debate was underlined last weekend when more than 200 people were reported to have died in co-ordinated attacks…
Restrictions on religion increased around the world in 2016, according to Pew Research Center’s ninth annual study on global restrictions on religion. This is the second year in a row that overall restrictions on religion – whether the result of government actions or by individuals or societal groups – increased in the 198 countries included…
Siobhain McDonagh (Mitcham and Morden) (Lab) I beg to move, That this House notes with concern the rising tide of persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, Algeria and other countries around the world; further notes the effect that hate preachers have on radicalising people internationally and in the UK, through the media, social media and…
Baroness Berridge writes for PoliticsHome ahead of her Oral Question today in the House of Lords [Read the full debate] on ensuring the Commonwealth Communiqué’s commitment to eradicate forced marriage is realised and assessing its inter-relationship with forced conversion. Early and Forced Marriages (EFM) are a major scourge across the Commonwealth. They are a…
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eritrea held a closed session yesterday to examine ongoing religious persecution in Eritrea, in a meeting entitled: Religious persecution in Eritrea: A crime against humanity. The meeting was chaired by Lord Alton of Liverpool, who is a member of the APPGs for Eritrea and International Freedom of Religion or Belief….
Chris Philp (Croydon South) (Con) I beg to move, that this House has considered the matter of the persecution of Christians overseas. In April last year, a young Nigerian woman, Dorkas Zakka, was murdered, along with 12 others in Kafanchan, simply for attending an Easter mass. Local priest Father Alexander Yeycock said that Nigerian military…
Chris Philp MP has introduced his Westminster Hall debate today – watch it in full – by writing in PoliticsHome under the headline The systematic persecution of Christians is an international tragedy In April last year, a young Nigerian woman, Dorkas Zakka, was murdered along with 12 others in Kafanchan state simply for attending an Easter…
Ending blasphemy laws around the globe is ‘a priority for Government’, Foreign Office Minister of State for Human Rights Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon told a joint meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Humanist Group (APPHG), the All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief and the All Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group….