Martyn Day – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Martyn Day on 2016-03-02.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss the imprisonment of Ahmed Naji with his Egyptian counterpart; and if he will make representations on the freedom of expression in Egypt during that discussion.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

My officials are aware of Mr Naji’s case and will continue to follow further developments.

Political progress is essential for Egypt’s long-term stability. This includes freedom of expression in all its forms. We also want to see better protection of Egyptians’ constitutional rights. Ministers and officials regularly raise our concerns with their Egyptian counterparts.

We will continue to urge the Government of Egypt to demonstrate its commitment to freedom of speech, including the right of freedom of expression for journalists and writers to operate. The UK has clearly stated that freedom of expression is fundamental to building a democratic society.