Tag: Press Release

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2024.

Statement by Fergus Eckersley, UK Political Counsellor, at the Security Council meeting on West Africa and the Sahel.

I would like to start by welcoming the agreement of this Council of a Presidential Statement on UNOWAS. During what is a challenging period for the region, that was an important signal of the Council’s full support for the region’s peace and security. We commend the penholders Sierra Leone and Switzerland for their excellent work to get it agreed.

We wish to make four points today.

First, the UK congratulates Mauritania and Senegal for their peaceful transfers of power. But democracy and civic space are under pressure in the region. We note that timelines for restoration of constitutional governments in Mali and Burkina Faso have been extended, and we reiterate the Council’s call, in its recent Presidential Statement, for the restoration of constitutional order. Guinea’s transition timeline has also slipped, but we welcome ECOWAS’ assessment that some progress has been achieved in Guinea, including a planned referendum on the constitution in 2024.

Second, security across the Sahel is deteriorating. The threat of terrorism is growing, and requires a serious cross-regional response. Foreign mercenaries and proxies are not the answer. They have a track record in the region of worsening existing conflicts and undermining long-term development, and the way they operate often poses grave threats to the protection of civilians, as we saw at Moura in Mali. The UK remains concerned about the security situation in Mali, especially after the withdrawal of MINUSMA. We encourage UNOWAS to help bring all parties back to the negotiating table.

We also note the recent ECOWAS and Alliance of Sahel States summits. We urge all states in the region to seek collective solutions to the growing shared security challenge. As we heard in the Arria meeting called by Sierra Leone on 19 June, effective counter-terror efforts require regional collaboration.

Third, the humanitarian situation in the region continues to get worse. Food insecurity, fueled by violence and displacement, is reaching record levels in the Central Sahel and Nigeria. Climate change is compounding these problems.

Since 2019, UK aid has supported over 15 million people in the Sahel with life-saving assistance, and 3 million in Nigeria since 2017. But access is increasingly restricted, and needs are still going unmet. We call on all actors to ensure safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance.

Fourth, we welcome the IMF’s improved economic forecast, which demonstrates the enormous opportunity for growth across the region despite today’s many challenges.  The UK looks forward to deepening our partnerships in the region, working collaboratively to ensure that we drive forward both growth and security.

The press release issued by the Ministry of Justice on 12 July 2024.

Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood has set out how the government will stop the impending collapse of the criminal justice system.

“Our prisons are on the point of collapse”, new Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said today (Friday 12 July) as she set out how the government will stop the impending collapse of the criminal justice system.

The Lord Chancellor explained that if prisons were to run out of places, courts would be forced to delay sending offenders to jail and police unable to arrest dangerous criminals – a crisis which would leave the public at risk from unchecked criminality.

During her first visits as Lord Chancellor, she met hard-working frontline probation staff before a tour of HMP Bedford and HMP Five Wells, and delivered a speech to highlight the dire state of prisons.

In a speech at HMP Five Wells in Northamptonshire, Lord Chancellor Shabana Mahmood said:

When prisons are full, violence rises – putting prison officers on the front line at risk. When no cells are available, suspects cannot be held in custody. This means vanloads of dangerous people circling the country, with nowhere to go.

The police would have to use their cells as a prison overflow, keeping officers off the streets. Soon, the courts would grind to a halt, unable to hold trials.

With officers unable to act, criminals could do whatever they want, without consequence. We could see looters running amok, smashing in windows, robbing shops and setting neighbourhoods alight.

In short, if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order.

National Police Chiefs’ Council Chair Chief Constable Gavin Stephens, said:

It is pleasing to see the new government has taken action on this pressing issue so quickly.

We are supporting the Ministry of Justice and other partners in the criminal justice system to manage the impact of these changes, particularly around supporting victims, families and others who will be affected.

With only hundreds of places left in the adult male estate, prisons have been routinely operating at over 99 percent capacity since the start of 2023. Prison cells are now expected to run out within weeks. The Lord Chancellor outlined the challenging but necessary steps the Government has been forced to make to prevent their imminent collapse and keep people safe. The Lord Chancellor made clear that the Government must act now to stop this situation from playing out.

Ahead of setting out the next steps to tackle this impending crisis, the Lord Chancellor confirmed that the dysfunctional and unmanageable End of Custody Supervised Licence scheme will come to an end.

Originally launched in October 2023, this early release scheme was brought in to address capacity pressures on the prison estate. Prisoners were initially released 18 days early, but the measure has been repeatedly expanded over the last six months.

Over the course of the scheme, over 10,000 offenders were released.

Instead, the government will temporarily reduce the proportion of certain custodial sentences served in prison from 50% to 40%, with important safeguards and exemptions to keep the public safe and clear release plans to manage them safely in the community.

Sentences for serious violent offences of four years or more, as well as sex offences will be automatically excluded, and, in an important distinction from End of Custody Supervised Licence scheme, the early release of offenders in prison for domestic abuse connected crimes will also be excluded. This will include:

• stalking offences
• controlling or coercive behaviours in an intimate or family relationship
• non-fatal strangulation and suffocation
• breach of restraining order, non-molestation order, and domestic abuse protection order

Anyone released will be strictly monitored on licence by the Probation Service through measures which can include electronic tagging and curfews. They face being recalled to prison if they breach their licence conditions.

The new rules will also not apply to most serious offenders, who already either spend two-thirds of their sentence behind bars or have their release determined by the Parole Board.

The Lord Chancellor will set out that the government had no choice but to take this decision.

Shabana Mahmood said:

There is now only one way to avert disaster. I do not choose to do this because I want to…. but we are taking every protection that is available to us… let me be clear, this is an emergency measure. This is not a permanent change. I am unapologetic in my belief that criminals must be punished.

The changes announced today will come into force in September, giving the Prison and Probation Service time to plan for offenders’ release.

The Lord Chancellor also outlined the government’s promise of transparency with a commitment to providing detailed and regular publications of releases under the changes to standard determinate sentences.

In an acknowledgement of the impact on the Probation Service, Ms Mahmood’s first visit as Lord Chancellor was to Bedford Probation Office where she spoke with frontline staff to hear about the challenges they were facing.

Acknowledging these challenges, the Lord Chancellor has also set out plans to recruit over 1,000 additional trainee probation officers by March 2025, allowing for greater oversight and management of offenders once they leave prisons.

During her speech, the Lord Chancellor reiterated her commitment to tackling the prison crisis for the long term. This included clear plans on how prisons can be built quicker by unblocking the planning system and enacting wider system reform and a 10-year capacity strategy will also be published in the Autumn, in line with the Spending Review timeline.

An Annual Statement on prison capacity will also be published every year, making sure the government is being held to account and must always have the prison places to keep dangerous offenders off the streets. This will make sure the public will never face the situation it is in today again.

Shabana Mahmood concluded in her speech:

The measures I have set out are not a silver bullet but they will give us the time we need to address the prisons crisis, not just today but for years to come.

That means continuing the prison building programme. And only by driving down reoffending will we ever find a sustainable solution to the prisons crisis.

Background information

• The changes to the release point for offenders on standard determinate sentences will require secondary legislation to be voted on by Parliament and could come into force in September.
• It will apply to those already in prison and past the 40% point in their sentence when this comes into force, with the first releases happening in September.
• The majority of prisoners serve Standard Determinate Sentences (SDS) which involves automatic release at a given point. These sentences are available for most crimes.
• Other types of custodial sentence, such as life sentences or extended sentences are used for dangerous offenders where their release before the end of their sentence must be approved by the Parole Board following a detailed risk assessment.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2024.

UK Ambassador to the IAEA Corinne Kitsell’s statement to the International Atomic Energy Agency Extraordinary Board of Governors meeting on Ukraine.

Thank you, Chair.

On 8 July, Russia launched another prolonged and deadly missile attack against cities across Ukraine, including Kyiv, Dnipro and Kryvyi Rih. At least 41 people lost their lives, with over 170 injured. These attacks hit critical national infrastructure and civilian buildings, including – most egregiously – medical facilities.

Chair,

As we know, in Kyiv, the Okhmadyt children’s hospital – Ukraine’s primary provider of specialist paediatric and oncology care – was struck. We are relieved that Director-General Grossi confirmed there are no nuclear safety or security risks at the hospital. However, this incident is a stark reminder of the ongoing threat to radioactive sources and nuclear materials in Ukraine – a threat that would not exist were it not for Russia’s ongoing invasion.

Chair,

The Russian delegate seems to have suggested that the radiology department of the hospital was not seriously impacted because it is in the hospital basement. It is shocking that Russia, a Rays of Hope partner, seeks to downplay the significance of its attack.

Chair,

Russia claims that “everybody” knows that this heinous attack was not conducted by Russia. That claim is utterly false, and we find Russia’s egregious propaganda campaign against Ukraine deeply shocking.

Throughout Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, Russia has attacked Ukrainian infrastructure and civilian buildings, as a deliberate tactic of war. Perhaps Russia has been surprised by the levels of revulsion at this latest attack; it seems cowardly that Russia insults us with fake news rather than owning its actions.

Unfortunately, this is the same absurdity we see when Russia speaks proudly about its efforts on Nuclear Safety after having taken a Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant by force.

Chair,

Somehow Russia, having illegally invaded another country, is trying to portray itself as a victim here. This is farcical.

Chair,

We must join together here today to condemn Russia’s actions against Ukraine and against the Agency’s Technical Co-operation work as we have done across the other interests of this Agency. We must all support this resolution tabled by Ukraine.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2024.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown voices UK support for the OSCE Centre’s work in Turkmenistan, especially on border management, environment, gender, and cybercrime.

Ambassador MacGregor, welcome back to the Permanent Council. I am struck again by the positive work you and your team have led.

As you know, the UK appreciates the work of the Centre in Ashgabat, engages closely with the Centre, and values our deepening partnership with Turkmenistan. This year, our former Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron visited Ashgabat and met Foreign Minister Meredov and President Berdimuhamedov, demonstrating UK-Turkmenistan cooperation. We look forward to this developing further, with a dialogue based on trust and partnership.

The UK welcomes the centre’s diverse and balanced portfolio of projects, with excellent cooperation with the host government. I would like to highlight four areas of the Centre’s work.

Firstly, work to promote gender equality and support those affected by domestic violence. The UK and the Centre have coordinated closely on this issue in recent years, and we hope that the Centre’s work developing understanding of gender-based violence continues in Turkmenistan. Women’s rights are a high priority for the UK and we particularly encourage work on transparent access to driving testing and licences for women.

Secondly, on border security and capability. The UK is committed to working with Turkmenistan, its neighbours and the OSCE to mitigate the challenges arising from Afghanistan.

Third, waste management legislation; environmental auditing; and promoting the UN Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context. We note that President Berdimuhamedov committed Turkmenistan to the Global Methane Pledge. We encourage the Centre to look at how they could support the government’s implementation of the Pledge.

Finally, I would like to welcome the work of the Centre in addressing issues of cybercrime and terrorist financing. Adherence to international standards and improving our understanding of cybercrime is a key challenge.

On corporate issues, we were pleased to see for ourselves from your video that the renovated premises are now fully functional and we thank the Government of Turkmenistan for providing them. But it is important to underline again the negative impact the continued non-agreement of the Unified Budget is having on the work of OSCE field operations, as highlighted in this Report. It is vital that field missions are adequately financed.

Ambassador MacGregor, thank you again for presenting your report today.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2024.

UK and 37 other countries invoke the OSCE Vienna Mechanism in respect of serious human rights concerns in Belarus, including torture, physical or sexual violence, lack of basic medical care and privacy, lack of a fair trial, psychological pressure and discrimination.

I am delivering this statement on behalf of the following participating States, who are members of the informal Group of Friends of Democratic Belarus: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czechia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and my own country, Slovenia.

The following participating States are also joining this statement: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Liechtenstein, Moldova, North Macedonia, Switzerland and Ukraine.

In the 1991 Moscow Document, OSCE participating States declared that commitments undertaken in the field of the human dimension are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the State concerned.

In keeping with this commitment, we wish to express our deep concern regarding the severe human rights violations and abuses occurring in Belarus. These were documented by rapporteur Professor Hervé Ascensio after 38 participating States invoked the Moscow Mechanism on 23 March 2023. His report, introduced to the Permanent Council on 11 May 2023, described repression designed to hinder any form of opposition, which led to waves of arrests on political grounds, targeting demonstrators, journalists, other media workers, human rights defenders, representatives of trade unions, lawyers, political opponents, and those expressing their opposition to the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, among others. The report recommended the release of all political prisoners and the reform of existing laws in Belarus to bring national criminal legislation and the code of administrative offences in full compliance with international norms and standards.

Regrettably, Belarus has followed neither these recommendations nor a similar call for the release of all the political prisoners issued by 17 UN experts. Other reports from various UN bodies and NGOs have confirmed that the human rights situation in Belarus, in particular the situation of political prisoners, has continued to deteriorate.

To date, six of these individuals have died in detention: Vitold Ashurak, Mikhaïl Klimovich, Ales Pushkin, Vadzim Khrasko, Ihar Lednik and Aliaksandr Kulinich. Many others are being held incommunicado.

Experts have documented that the estimated 1400 political prisoners currently in detention in Belarus experience torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, acts of physical or sexual violence, lack of basic medical care and privacy, lack of a fair trial, psychological pressure and discrimination, with their cells and clothing marked with yellow tags.

While we take note of the recent release of several political prisoners, we consider unsatisfactory the Belarusian authorities’ response to the Moscow Mechanism report of 11 May 2023 and, given our ongoing concerns about developments over the past 12 months, our countries are now invoking the Vienna Mechanism, along with the requirements of Belarus under that Mechanism.

The full text of the letter of invocation, including the names of several persons whose situation is particularly critical, will be circulated to all participating States. But I would like to read the questions it contains.

Since the release of the Moscow Mechanism report on Belarus, on 11 May 2023:

1. What steps have Belarusian authorities taken to ensure that persons deprived of liberty on politically motivated grounds are treated with humanity and respect for their inherent dignity?
2. What steps have Belarusian authorities taken to release political prisoners on humanitarian grounds, including those with serious health issues or chronic conditions, people with disabilities, minors, older persons, people with children or single parents? What update can be provided on the prisoners mentioned in the letter?
3. What steps have Belarusian authorities taken to ensure that specific needs of female detainees, including psychological and medical needs, are taken into account?
4. What steps have been taken to ensure that all detainees have access to necessary and appropriate medication and medical care?
5. What steps have been taken to ensure decent conditions of detention for all prisoners? Do authorities in charge of detention facilities provide all prisoners, without exception, with blankets, mattresses, and sanitary articles? Which measures have been taken against overcrowding?
6. In the light of documented cases of ill-treatment which may in some instances amount to torture, including sleep deprivation, what steps have Belarusian authorities taken to investigate all allegations and to prevent such treatment in the future?
7. What criteria govern the use of solitary confinement, punishment cells and cell-like premises? As these have been identified as potentially inhumane conditions of detention, what steps have been taken to reduce their use?
8. What steps have been taken to ensure that every prisoner has access to legal counsel of their own choosing, to effective remedies and a fair trial? What steps have been taken to ensure that prisoners are able to maintain contact with family members?
9. Will Belarusian authorities refrain from implementing the procedure of deprivation of citizenship of Belarusian nationals living abroad as a sanction for so called “participation in extremist activity or infliction of grievous harm to the interests of the Republic of Belarus”?
10. Will Belarus end repressive measures taken against family members in order to exert pressure on defendants and political prisoners?
11. As a measure of transparency, would Belarus allow visits to detention facilities by representatives of international organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, and foreign States in detention facilities?

We expect to receive information in response to these serious concerns in writing within ten days, in accordance with the Vienna Mechanism.

I request this statement and the corresponding invocation letter be attached to the journal of the day.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2024.

Ambassador Holland remembers the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and pays tribute to the courage and resilience shown by families and survivors.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

Today we remember the victims of the Srebrenica genocide in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and honour the survivors. This year we are marking 11 July more formally for the first time as the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, following the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution on 23 May. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia found that several individuals were guilty of genocide in Srebrenica. Acknowledgement of that fact should not be a cause for tension and division. Rather, it is a basis on which true reconciliation can be achieved.

Mr Chair, 29 years ago in Srebrenica, genocide took place in Europe for the first time since 1945. It claimed the lives of over 8,000 mostly Muslim men and boys, and led to the displacement of over 20,000 women and children who were forcibly expelled from their homes. We honour the memory of those killed, and pay tribute to the extraordinary courage and resilience shown by their families and by survivors. We stand with the families in their ongoing fight for justice.

The UK is committed to supporting Bosnia and Herzegovina in its efforts to build a secure, stable, inclusive society, and heal the fractures caused by conflict. It is regrettable that we continue to see divisive and dangerous nationalist rhetoric, secessionist moves, and open challenges to the constitutional order established by the Dayton Peace Agreement. The UK is committed to a single, sovereign Bosnia and Herzegovina, and will continue to take action in support of that. We also continue to urge political leaders to condemn any glorification of the perpetrators of war crimes, and to take action against genocide denial.

Mr Chair, as was the case in 2022 and 2023, we are marking this date in the shadow of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We must learn the lessons of history. Terrible events such as the genocide at Srebrenica show the consequences of inaction. We owe it to the victims to create societies that are stable, inclusive and cohesive, and to fight against prejudice, hatred, fear and division wherever we find it. Remaining true to our shared commitment to the concept of comprehensive security, articulated by the Helsinki principles and central to membership of the OSCE, is the best way to do this. The greatest tribute we can give to those who lost their lives is to do everything we can to prevent such a horrific crime from ever being repeated.

Thank you, Mr Chair.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2024.

The UK government announces a £2 million package to support up to 150,000 Sudanese refugees in Libya fleeing violence.

• UK to contribute £2 million support to refugees in Libya fleeing violence in Darfur, Sudan
• funding will support much-needed emergency health, water and sanitation services
• alongside international partners aid will deliver support to up to 150,000 refugees

International Development Minister Anneliese Dodds has today [Friday 12 July] pledged new UK aid funding to provide life-saving assistance to up to 150,000 Sudanese refugees who are fleeing escalating violence in Darfur.

It’s estimated that more than 2 million people have fled Sudan due to the violence which erupted following a coup in April last year, including more than 1,200 people entering Libya daily.

This forms part of the government’s commitment to work with international partners to address the humanitarian crises which lead people to flee their homes, and to strengthen support for refugees in their home region.

This £2 million package will go towards the humanitarian response in the hard-to-reach Alkufra region, where the UN estimates up to 45,000 refugees are currently in desperate need of support.

Health provision in Alkufra is minimal and was struggling even before the humanitarian crisis. Under the strain of thousands of refugees, in need of medical assistance, the system is now on the verge of collapse.

Alongside international partners, this funding will help deliver much-needed emergency health, water, sanitation, hygiene, and child protection services to an estimated 150,000 individuals taking refuge in Eastern Libya, as well as the communities hosting them.

The Minister of State for Development, Anneliese Dodds, said:

The UK is committed to delivering life-saving aid to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, including children, as they flee violence in war-torn Sudan.

Alongside our international partners, this support in Libya will deliver much-needed water and emergency health, sanitation and hygiene services to these displaced refugees.