Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative) on Thursday, 22 March 2012.

Iraq

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports from Iraq of the stoning to death of teenagers because of their appearance or orientation; and whether they will raise the issue with the Government of Iraq.

Answer: Recent reports about violent attacks against Iraqi followers of the ““emo”” fashion trend are deeply worrying. Whilst it is difficult to build an accurate picture of the number of Iraqis affected, we remain concerned about any incidents involving harassment or intimidation. The Government of Iraq have reiterated their commitment to protecting freedoms of all individuals. We will continue to press the Iraqi Government to uphold this pledge.

Secondary information