Lord Jay of Ewelme – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Jay of Ewelme on 2015-10-20.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken, and to what effect, to secure the release of Andy Tsege from prison in Ethiopia; and what representations they have made to the government of Ethiopia about allowing Mr Tsege’s lawyer to travel to that country.

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

The British Government remains deeply concerned by the continued detention of British national, Andargachew Tsege, in Ethiopia and about his welfare. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has raised this case with Dr Tedros, the Ethiopian Foreign Minister, on 18 occasions. Most recently on 21 October. He welcomed the improvement in consular access to Mr Tsege, following the Government’s intervention, but noted it must be more regular and must include access to a lawyer. Mr Tsege should be given the ability to challenge his detention through due legal process.