Skip to main content
Banner image for Ross Thomson

Ross Thomson

Former Conservative MP for Aberdeen South
Site logo

Main navigation

  • Home
  • About Ross Thomson
  • News
  • Parliament
  • My Responses to Topical Emails
  • Ross' Campaigns

Opinion- Human Rights Defenders

  • Tweet
Friday, 5 April, 2019
Blue Tie

Regrettably, human rights defenders face unprecedented attack in many parts of the world. In 2018 alone, I understand that more than 300 such defenders were killed, and thousands more imprisoned, attacked or tortured around the world.

I am assured that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) puts human rights and Human Rights Defenders at the heart of its work. The FCO learns from human rights defenders, as well as advocating for them and seeking to protect and strengthen the work that they do. Human Rights Defenders are also essential to the UK's work to promote good governance, media freedom, to deliver equality; whether it be gender or LGBT equality; and importantly to end the death penalty and torture.

Support is provided to human rights defenders through the Magna Carta Fund for Human Rights and Democracy, most of which is allocated for implementation of projects by human rights defenders and civil society organisations. The FCO also highlights repression of human rights defenders in its Annual Human Rights Report. I understand that the FCO is also publishing guidelines for its embassies around the worlds about support for human rights defenders, to aid clarity and consistency.

The UK has followed Azza Soliman's case closely. She was released on bail in December 2016 and the UK has highlighted her case on several occasions as well as expressing concerns about the arrest of activists, bloggers and journalists in Egypt.

  • Opinions

You may also be interested in

Parliament

My Responses to Topical Emails

During my time as an MP, I received a large number of identical emails which were often sent from campaign organisations.

loan charge

Ross Hands Loan Charge Petition to Prime Minister and Chancellor

Tuesday, 10 September, 2019

Ross handed in the Loan Charge petition to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, and the Chancellor, Sajid Javid. The petition gathered 8,294 signatures calling for a review of the 2019 Loan Charge and for it to be suspended. 

Show only

  • Articles
  • Local News
  • Media
  • Opinions
  • Speeches in Parliament
  • Westminster News
  • Written Questions News

Ross Thomson Former MP for Aberdeen South

Footer

  • About RSS
  • Accessibility
  • Cookies
  • Privacy
  • About Ross Thomson
  • In Parliament
Site logoPromoted by Simon Turner on behalf of Ross Thomson, both of 2 West Mount Street, Aberdeen, AB25 2RJ
Copyright 2021 Ross Thomson Former MP for Aberdeen South. All rights reserved.
Powered by Bluetree