Helsinki Final Act

HC Deb 09 November 1979 vol 973 cc358-9W

Mr. David Atkinson

asked the Lord Privy Seal what progress has been made in the implementation by the Soviet Union and its allies of basket 1, principle 7—respect for human rights on fundamental freedoms including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief—of the Helsinki Final Act 1975 since the Belgrade review conference 1977.

Mr. Blaker

There appears to have been no significant improvement in the record of the Soviet Union and certain other Eastern European countries since the ending of the Belgrade review conference. The Government particularly deplore the action of the Czechoslovak authorities in sentencing six members of the Charter 77 movement on 23 October. For a more detailed account of Soviet and Eastern European implementation I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 26 June to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims).—[Vol. 969, c. 75–83.] A further report will be made to Parliament before the end of the year.