PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
ROYAL WINDSOR HORSE SHOW AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN BAHRAIN (25 April 2018)

That this House condemns the Bahraini authorities' detention and interrogation of the family members of UK-based Bahraini human rights activists who participated in peaceful protests against the King of Bahrain's attendance at the 2017 Royal Windsor Horse Show; is alarmed by the fact that British journalist Jason Parkinson was followed and threatened by plainclothes Bahraini intelligence officers from the Windsor showground to London in 2017; is appalled by the invitation to Prince Nasser to attend this year's Royal Windsor Horse Show, when his alleged involvement in the torture of detainees in Bahrain which led to his immunity being revoked by the High Court of Justice in 2014, has yet to be addressed and thoroughly investigated; calls on the Government to uphold its pledge to protect freedom of expression and assembly in both Bahrain and the UK; demands assurances from the Bahraini authorities that protesters in the UK and their family members residing in Bahrain will no longer be harassed through reprisals for speaking about the crackdown on human rights in Bahrain, as in the case of UK-based activist Sayed Alwadaei, whose family members were convicted and sentenced to years in prison on the basis of confessions extracted under duress; notes that, if the Government is unable to secure the release of Mr Alwadaei's family members and protect the safety of protesters in the UK, the invitation to the King of Bahrain should be retracted.

Sponsored by:
Andy Slaughter (Labour)