Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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1196. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding steps taken to raise the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33900/14]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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The Government remains concerned about the case of Mrs. Bibi. The Irish Ambassador accredited to Pakistan called upon the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad in 2013 to convey our concern at the conviction and sentence. He also expressed our disquiet at the nature of Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Officials in my Department keep in regular contact with the Embassy of Pakistan on this, and a number of other issues. Pakistan underwent a ‘Universal Periodic Review’ of the human rights situation in the country at the United Nations in October 2012. At this review, concern was expressed about the case of Mrs. Bibi and calls for Pakistan to consider adopting an official moratorium on the death penalty. During the process, Ireland recommended that Pakistan take all appropriate measures to combat and prevent discrimination against religious and other minority groups, including by removing educational material which could serve to perpetuate discrimination.

At EU level, freedom of religion or belief and freedom of opinion and expression plays a central role in the EU’s dialogue with Pakistan. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs of the European Union, Catherine Ashton has expressed her concerns at the Bibi judgment, and others like it, on numerous occasions, and has called on Pakistan to respect human rights as guaranteed under international conventions.In June 2014, the EU issued a Declaration on violence against women in Pakistan, expressing deep concern at the wide-spread violence perpetrated against women there.

The fifth meeting of the EU-Pakistan Joint Commission, which reviews EU-Pakistan bilateral relations annually, met in Islamabad on 24 June 2014 under the Co-chairmanship of Mr Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Foreign Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Mr David O'Sullivan, Chief Operating Officer of the European External Action Service. On human rights, the EU, while acknowledging efforts of the Government of Pakistan to strengthen human rights infrastructure in the country, expressed its concern on a number of issues including freedom of the media, freedom of religion and belief and the situation of women.

Ireland attaches great importance to the fundamental human rights of freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. We are well aware of the vulnerable situation of persons belonging to religious minorities in Pakistan and will continue to raise the case of Asia Bibi and others bilaterally with the Pakistan Government as well as through the framework and mechanisms of the European Union and the United Nations.