asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they or the European Union raised at the United Nations Human Rights Council in March section 5 of the Iranian draft penal code, which provides a mandatory death penalty for apostasy, in contravention of Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; and, if so, with what results. [HL2923]

The UK and the EU are deeply concerned by provisions in Iran's draft penal code that would make the crimes of apostasy, heresy and witchcraft punishable by death and have spoken out publicly about this on several occasions. The EU presidency issued a declaration on behalf of the EU on 25 February 2008 expressing concern about the draft law and calling on Iran to ensure that any modifications to the penal code are consistent with the international human rights conventions to which Iran is a state party. The EU also expressed concerns about these amendments in a meeting with the Iranian authorities in early March and in a statement to the UN Human Rights Council on 13 March. My honourable friend the Minister for the Middle East, Kim Howells, called in the Iranian ambassador on 1 April to raise UK concerns about the apostasy articles of the draft penal code and to stress our opposition to the death penalty in all circumstances.