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United Nations: Legal Profession

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UIN HL1253, tabled on 7 October 2024

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the United Nations Secretary-General's report Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights, published on 20 August, and what further steps they will take to protect British lawyers working with the United Nations, in the light of the reprisals against Jimmy Lai’s international legal team referred to in the report.

Answered on

21 October 2024

As the UK set out in a statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 September, the content of the UN's report on 'Cooperation with the United Nations, its representatives and mechanisms in the field of human rights' is deeply troubling, including the reports of intimidation and harassment against the son of Jimmy Lai and his international legal team. I met with Sebastien Lai and Jimmy Lai's international legal team on Tuesday 8 October.

Any attempts to coerce, intimidate or harm those who cooperate with the United Nations are unacceptable. The UK unequivocally condemns each and every act of intimidation or reprisal.