§ MR. J. H. YOXALL (Nottingham, W.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been directed to the case of the Nestorian Pastor Khamis, who, for the past eight months, has been imprisoned 1681 at Deaza, in Kurdistan, by the Turkish authorities; if he is aware that this case is aggravated beyond others by the fact that this minister of the Nestorian Free Church is over 80 years of age; and, whether the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is prepared to make representations to the Government of the Porte in favour of release?
MR. CURZONYes, Sir; our attention has been called to this case, and we have made inquiries. Her Majesty's Vice Consul at Van has reported that Pastor Khamis is in prison at Dizza, charged with having sent and received treasonable, correspondence, and with having in his possession documents of a similar character. The Vice Consul has reported to us that the case is not one in which in his opinion Her Majesty's Government ought to interfere. I may add, moreover, that Pastor Khamis is not a British subject.