To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Syria; and what discussions the UK and Syria have had on the issue. (273726)

I remain concerned about the human rights situation in Syria. As detailed in the 2008 Foreign and Commonwealth Office's 2008 Annual Human Rights report, the UK is particularly concerned with the deterioration in the situation for opposition politicians and Syria's Kurdish population, and the restrictions of basic civil rights and freedom of the media.

I raised these concerns with President Assad during my November 2008 visit to Syria. My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Bill Rammell) raised human rights with Foreign Minister Muallem during his April 2009 visit to Syria.