Bahrain

Foreign and Commonwealth Office written question – answered at on 27 January 2015.

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Photo of Richard Burden Richard Burden Shadow Minister (Transport)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to promote (a) press freedom and (b) other human rights in Bahrain.

Photo of Tobias Ellwood Tobias Ellwood The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

I welcome the steps taken by the Government of Bahrain in implementing its reform programme based on recommendations made by the Independent Commission of Inquiry. There is more to do, and I encourage greater progress in relaxing censorship and allowing the opposition greater access to the media. In 2014 the UK hosted a delegation from Bahrain’s Ministry of Information to share best practice on media relations and press freedom. The British Government is supporting Bahrain's reform programme on a range of issues. Assistance is focused on strengthening human rights and the rule of law, including torture prevention and capacity building in the Ombudsman's Office for the Ministry of Interior, which has responsibility for investigating allegations of detainee mistreatment.

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