Written question asked by Sarah Champion (Labour) on Monday, 31 March 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 2 April 2025. It was answered by Stephen Doughty (Labour) on Wednesday, 9 April 2025 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Kazakhstan and Tajikistan: Human Rights

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his (a) Kazakhstani and (b) Tajikistani counterpart on obligations under international law prohibiting the (i) expulsion and (ii) return of refugees to countries where they would face (A) risk of persecution and (B) serious harm.

Answer: The British Embassies in Astana and Dushanbe monitor the situation in country for refugees, including from Afghanistan, and lobby relevant authorities on their obligations under international law when necessary. I raised human rights with my Kazakh and Tajik counterparts in February 2025 and October 2024 respectively. We continue to encourage all states, including Kazakhstan and Tajikistan to uphold international human rights obligations.

Secondary information