Tag: 2024

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 August 2024.

• UK sanctions 4 individuals and 3 entities from Belarus in coordinated action with international partners, in response to human rights violations and ongoing facilitation of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine
• today marks 4 years since the deeply flawed presidential election and start of the crackdown on civil society
• UK announces £2.5 million of planned funding to support the survival of Belarusian human rights and civil society causes in the face of continued political pressure

The UK has today (9 August) sanctioned a further 7 individuals and entities on the fourth anniversary of the deeply flawed 2020 presidential elections in Belarus in coordinated action with international partners, taking the total number of sanctions against Belarus to over 200.

The conduct of the election, which was widely condemned by the international community, sparked widespread peaceful protests across the country. These were met by a brutal campaign of repression and a purging of civil society, independent media and the democratic opposition at the hands of the Lukashenko regime, with political prisoners detained in penal colonies. Commanding officers of 4 of these penal colonies, who have contributed to human rights violations and the repression of civil society, have been hit with UK sanctions today.

Belarus has also provided instrumental support for Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine since it began in 2022. It has allowed the use of its territory and airspace to launch attacks and provided kit and logistical support, with three Belarusian entities in the defence and military industrial sector being added to the UK’s sanction list, preventing them from doing business with UK companies.

Following the designations, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

Four years on from the brutal scenes we witnessed in Belarus, Lukashenko’s relentless crackdown on civil society has shown no signs of abating: over 40,000 citizens arrested on trumped up political charges, civil society and independent media trampled and a regime with no regard for democracy or human rights.

We stand with the people of Belarus and their pursuit of freedom and democracy and call on the regime to release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally.

The individuals and entities sanctioned today are:

All 4 individuals are, or have been, responsible for, engaging in, providing support for and promoting the commission of a serious human rights violation, repression of civil society and democratic opposition and actions and activities that undermine democracy and rule of law in Belarus.

Alongside sanctions, the UK is announcing planned funding of £2.5 million this financial year to supporting Belarusian human rights and civil society causes, including further funding to the International Accountability Platform Belarus – a coalition that collect, verify, and preserve evidence of gross human rights violations constituting crimes under international law allegedly committed by Belarusian authorities.

Since August 2020, the Belarusian authorities have made over 40,000 politically motivated arrests and pursued at least 12,000 politically motivated criminal cases. According to the Viasna Human Rights Centre, a Belarusian non-governmental organisation, 1389 political prisoners remain incarcerated in Belarus, including human rights defenders, journalists, members of the democratic opposition and trade unionists.

At least 6 political prisoners have died in detention since 2021, while many others remain held in appalling conditions, subject to violence, deprived of medical attention and starved of contact with the outside world.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 August 2024.

British High Commissioner to Malaysia Ailsa Terry CMG has been appointed the UK Prime Minister’s Private Secretary for Foreign Affairs – advising Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on foreign policy issues, and working closely with the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office in London.

This is the first time that a British High Commissioner to Malaysia has been nominated as the Private Secretary to the Prime Minister. Terry will officially take on her new role in No. 10 Downing Street early next month.

On her move, Terry says:

This is a huge privilege. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has set out ambitious plans for the country. I am honoured to be given this opportunity to serve in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Since I started as the British High Commissioner to Malaysia in August 2023, my team here and I have accomplished so much in strengthening the UK-Malaysia’s partnership in the areas of trade, technology, education, climate, defence and security. I have visited many states and my family and I have also made so many friends around Malaysia. We will miss the people, sights and sound, smell and flavours of Malaysia.

With effect from 29 August 2024, David Wallace will take over as Chargé d’Affaires. Wallace, who has been the Deputy High Commissioner since 2022, will ensure that the work of the High Commission continues as usual during this transition.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 8 August 2024.

Security Council Statement by Jess Jambert-Gray, Deputy Political Coordinator, at the UN Security Council meeting on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts.

The UK remains deeply concerned about the rising threat from Daesh and its affiliates. Whilst Daesh has been unable to resurge territorially it continues to propagate its poisonous ideology globally. Its branches present an acute threat to at-risk communities, whilst its propaganda seeks to exploit global events to inspire terrorist violence across the world.

The increasing threat from Daesh’s continued focus on Africa, including attacks from Daesh affiliates ISWAP and ISSP in West Africa and the Sahel threatens regional stability. As the Secretary General’s report notes, their activities in the region afflict grave violations on children, and in particular girls. This Council’s recent decision to include sexual and gender-based violence as a criterion for listing under the 1267 regime sends a strong message that these crimes should not go unpunished.

The development of African-led initiatives like the Abuja Process are a crucial response. Working closely with Regional Economic Communities and with the support of UN entities, the African Union plays a central role in these efforts. The Malabo declaration for a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach to tackling terrorism was a positive step forward and we stand ready to support the development of national action plans. It is vital these collective approaches work to address the underlying drivers of terrorism including reducing corruption, improving governance, and ensuring respect for the rule of law.

The threat from ISKP is increasing, and in recent months we have seen abhorrent attacks by the group on civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Russia and Turkey. This emphasises our need to tackle ISKP at a strategic level. The international community must take a collective and creative approach to understand how they operate, starve their resources, and tackle their propaganda.

As part of this effort, the UK launched the ISKP Diplomatic Grouping in May 2023 to focus on increasing threats with regional partners. The Grouping most recently convened in Doha last month to share expertise and drive action on countering ISKP finance, travel, and propaganda.

Attacks on military bases in Iraq are increasing tensions across the Middle East, causing instability and threatening Iraq’s and the coalition’s collective ability to counter Daesh. De-escalation should be a collective priority, and we call for continued work with partners to suppress the threat.

As we mark ten years since Daesh perpetrated genocide against the Yazidi people, we cannot lose focus in the fight against Daesh as it spreads to new theatres.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 7 August 2024.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has responded to the dissolution of the main opposition party in Thailand.

In response to the Thai Constitutional Court’s decision to dissolve the Move Forward Party, an FCDO spokesperson said:

Pluralism and freedom of speech are central principles of democracy. The dissolution of another major political party in Thailand is therefore a setback for these principles. We encourage all parties to uphold democratic rights and representation.