Simon Mann
Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Iain Duncan Smith (Chingford and Woodford Green, Conservative)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have made representations to Equatorial Guinea on Simon Mann's treatment; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Foreign & Commonwealth Office; Sheffield, Heeley, Labour)

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office contacted the Equatorial Guinean embassy in London on 5 February to request consular access, once it was confirmed that Mr. Mann had been extradited from Zimbabwe to Equatorial Guinea.

My noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Asia and the UN, the right hon. Lord Malloch-Brown, met with the Equatorial Guinean ambassador to the UK, Mr. Agustin Nze Nfumu, on 7 February, and telephoned the ambassador on 11 February to once again request consular access to Mr. Mann.

Consular assistance to British nationals in Equatorial Guinea is provided by our Deputy High Commission in Lagos. Our consul in Lagos travelled to the capital, Malabo, on 5 February to seek immediate access to Mr. Mann and made contact with the Equatorial Guinean Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister and Minister of Justice. Access was granted on 12 February.

In seeking consular access to Mr. Mann, the Government have reminded Equatorial Guinea of his right to a fair trial and of its obligation to ensure that all persons deprived of liberty shall be treated humanely and with respect for their dignity. We have received assurances to this effect.