To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring is being undertaken by the British Government of human rights abusers in Sudan. [130570]

There has been no formal human rights monitoring mechanism in place since the defeat of the EU sponsored resolution on Sudan at the UN Commission on Human Rights on 16 April. This resulted in the termination of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur. However, the British embassy in Khartoum continues to monitor human rights abuses and raises them with the Government of Sudan bilaterally and as part of the EU/Sudan Dialogue. We also part-fund the work of the Sudan Organisation Against Torture (SOAT) which documents human rights abuses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the suppression of the media in parts of the Sudan. [130571]

On 9 August President Beshir announced the complete lifting of press censorship. The British embassy in Khartoum will monitor the implementation of this arrangement.