Source · Select Committees · Foreign Affairs Committee
Recommendation 36
36
Acknowledged
We recommend that within the next six months the Government outline the measures, including Magnitsky-style...
Recommendation
We recommend that within the next six months the Government outline the measures, including Magnitsky-style sanctions and legal proceedings both domestically and Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy 53 at the International Court of Justice, it is prepared to take against countries that might arbitrarily detain UK nationals for diplomatic leverage. It should work with international partners through the Canadian-led Declaration on Arbitrary Detention in State-to-State Relations to work with international partners multilaterally wherever possible and appropriate. Specifically: • the Government should identify one or more of the voluntary work areas listed in the Partnership Action Plan which it will commit to; • the Government should continue to explore opportunities through the International Law Commission to bring clarity to other international conventions including the Hostage Convention and Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to provide further legal protection for individuals. (Paragraph 102) 54 Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy
Government Response Summary
The Government agrees that States who target foreign nationals and manipulate their judicial systems should be left in no doubt about the political and diplomatic price they pay, and states it robustly challenges the practice of using detained foreign nationals to seek political leverage, working with international partners.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
37. The Government agrees that States who routinely target foreign nationals, and manipulate their judicial systems, should be left in no doubt about the political and diplomatic price they pay for their actions. The Government robustly challenges the Stolen years: combatting state hostage diplomacy: Government Response 11 practice of using detained foreign nationals to seek political leverage. Alongside our partners in multilateral fora and groupings including the G7, the UN, and the Canadian Initiative on Arbitrary detention in State-to-State relations, we call out the countries responsible for this cruel and cynical infringement on individuals’ rights.