HC Deb 14 November 1989 vol 160 cc117-8W
Mr. John Browne

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make representations to the Czechoslovak Government under the terms of the Helsinki Final Act of the Vienna concluding document, concerning continued use of the law of protective surveillance, number 44 of 25 April 1973; and if he will urge the Czechoslovak Government to repeal the law immediately.

Mr. Waldegrave

The documents quoted by my hon. Friend do not contain provisions that would allow us to make representations in the way he proposes. However, we have taken advantage many times of the opportunities provided by the CSCE follow-up and intersessional meetings to remind states such as Czechoslovakia of their CSCE commitments on human rights. We have made clear our concern at all infringements—most recently in August over the detention and hunger strike of the dissident Stanislav Devaty.