Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 11, 24 and 27 together.

I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. Protecting and promoting human rights is a cornerstone of Ireland’s foreign policy, as I have said in my answers to most questions. Ireland has consistently supported women human rights defenders and continually advocates for the freedom of all civil society actors to operate in a safe and enabling environment. The detention of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia is deeply concerning and Ireland has raised our concerns bilaterally with the Saudi authorities. Most recently, on 9 November, the detention and welfare of Ms Loujain al-Hathloul were raised directly by officials from my Department with the Saudi ambassador to Ireland.

Ireland also raises these issues in international forums. At the most recent meeting of the Human Rights Council in October, Ireland co-signed a joint statement expressing deep concern at the ongoing detention of women human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. Ireland has also co-sponsored resolutions at the Human Rights Council calling on states to investigate alleged human rights violations in the administration of justice and abuses suffered by persons deprived of their liberty.

During the latest universal periodic review of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record in November 2018, Ireland raised its concerns about the imprisonment of human rights defenders. Ireland regularly discusses these issues in various EU forums and works closely with other member states to ensure human rights issues in Saudi Arabia are addressed. The EU delegation in Riyadh has raised the cases of the detention of women human rights defenders, including Ms al-Hathloul, directly with the Saudi authorities on multiple occasions and will continue to do so. We welcome the advancement of plans to establish an EU-Saudi Arabia human rights dialogue. This will provide a valuable additional forum to discuss human rights issues, including individual cases. Ireland will continue to take every opportunity to raise this case with all appropriate interlocutors.

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