Senior British MPs have criticised the UK Foreign Office over its apparent downgrading of human rights concerns throughout the world, including Bahrain.
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee said there was “plainly a perception” that human rights were not a high priority for the Foreign Office.
It said the failure to include Bahrain amongst the list of Human Rights Priority Countries “contributes to the perception that the FCO has become more hesitant in promoting and defending international human rights openly and robustly”.
The Committee said there was “plainly a perception” that human rights are not a priority for the department, adding: “Perceptions and symbols matter, particularly in the context of the UK’s soft power and international influence.”
And the MPs condemned the decision not to include Bahrain on its list of Human Rights Priority Countries. This failure, they said “contributes to the perception that the FCO has become more hesitant in promoting and defending international human rights openly and robustly notwithstanding the importance of private diplomacy.”
The MPs recommended Bahrain should be placed on the list of Human Rights Priority Countries, along with Egypt.
LGBT rights
The report also highlighted the decision by the FCO in 2015 not to fly the Rainbow Flag for London Pride in 2015, which reversed the policy of the previous Foreign Secretary and separated the Foreign and Office from the numerous other Government departments which did fly the Rainbow Flag.
The report said: “The decision by the current Foreign Secretary not to fly the Rainbow Flag at FCO buildings for Pride 2015 signalled an apparent change in FCO policy and sent a message that contradicts much of the actual work and objectives of the FCO.
“We recommend that the FCO reverses its decision not to fly the Rainbow Flag for national Pride events. In the absence of such events due to host nation intolerance of equality around sexuality, the FCO should fly the Rainbow Flag from missions abroad alongside the Union Flag on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia.”
