Hilary Benn – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Hilary Benn on 2016-04-14.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of compliance by the United Arab Emirates with international treaties and norms on the use of torture.

Mr Philip Hammond

The British Government consistently and unreservedly condemns torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and it is a priority for us to combat it wherever and whenever it occurs. We are aware of recent allegations made against the United Arab Emirates and we have expressed our concerns to the authorities, including our expectation that all cases will be thoroughly investigated in line with international standards. During those representations the United Arab Emirates confirmed that they are committed to investigating any allegations of mistreatment. The United Arab Emirates are a State Party to the Convention against Torture.