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Written question asked by Lord Hylton (Crossbench) on Monday, 14 October 2019, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Monday, 28 October 2019. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Monday, 28 October 2019 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Egypt and Iraq: Demonstrations

Question

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the simultaneous protests and demonstrations in Egypt and Iraq, the latter of which has resulted in 100 civilian deaths.

Answer

Egyptians have repeatedly demonstrated their desire for a secure, prosperous, and democratic country since the revolution of 2011. In that context, we look forward to protection of Egyptians' constitutional rights, freedom of expression and more space for Non-Governmental Organisations and civil society. We believe that these rights and freedoms are essential for Egypt’s long-term stability. We have raised specific concerns with the Egyptian authorities about the large number of arrests that followed the demonstrations in Egypt on 20 September.

We are also closely monitoring the situation in Iraq. The UK continues to support the Iraqi government to deliver on the legitimate demands of the protestors for jobs, services and tackling corruption. We have made clear our concerns over the use of force. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Middle East Minister, Andrew Murrison, released a statement on 3 October emphasising the right to peaceful protest. The Foreign Secretary spoke to Prime Minister Abdul Mehdi on 9 October to express UK concerns about the security response and push for the Government to take concrete action to respond to protesters’ concerns. Lord Ahmad also spoke to Foreign Minister Al-Hakim on 10 October to underline these points.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL36
Session
2019-19
Subjects
Demonstrations Iraq Politics and government Egypt
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk