§ Mr. WigleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, following the improvement in relations with the Iraqi Government, he has raised with them the issue of human rights violations, especially the executions of Kurdish political prisoners, both adult and minors.
§ Mr. MellorAs I made clear in my answer on 11 March, we regret the denial of basic human rights wherever they may occur. We are aware of reports of human rights violations in Iraq and continue to take every opportunity to voice our concern about such abuses. I raised this issue at the highest levels during my visit there in February. When my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State met the Iraqi Foreign Minister in March, he reiterated in strong terms our concern about human rights violations, and the plight of Iraqi Kurds in particular. We
60W(2) how many males and females aged 17 years and under who were from an ethnic minority were sentenced to a period of custody during (a) 1985, (b) 1986 and (c) 1987.
§ Mr. John Patten[holding answer 17 June 1988]: The readily available information is given in the following table:
have also protested vigorously about the use of chemical weapons on the civilian town of Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan.