Written question asked by John Bercow (Conservative) on Friday, 2 May 2008, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 7 May 2008. It was answered by Bill Rammell (Labour) on Thursday, 13 November 2008 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Iran: Politics and Government

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by his Department to support pro-democracy student groups in Iran.

Answer: It is the longstanding policy of the UK, and the EU, to stand up for the internationally recognised principles to which so many Iranians aspire, including human rights, political freedoms and genuinely democratic, transparent and accountable government. We maintain contacts with a wide range of Iranians in many different fields (in and outside government) who work to support reform and the rule of law, including some connected to the Iranian student movement, which has historically been involved in the promotion of civil rights.We are concerned by the growing pressure facing student activists this year, and the Iranian Government’s refusal to acknowledge the rights of student activist groups. Many have been arrested and imprisoned for taking part in activities in support of their rights, such as demonstrations on National University Students’ Day; and student publications are often targeted and closed down. In July five students were arrested in Mashhad for pursuing the cases of other detained students. The EU, with strong UK support, regularly raises concerns about human rights violations with the Iranian authorities. A recent EU demarche, delivered on 6 October, raised specific concerns about the increased pressure on Iranian students and the large number of arrests in recent months.

Secondary information