DEATH PENALTY ASSURANCES

That this House notes with great concern the Home Secretary's decision to offer assistance to the US in the prosecution of two British citizens, Alexanda Kotey and El Shafee Elsheikh, without seeking assurances that the death penalty will not be used; further notes that Ministers have confirmed that death penalty assurances have been waived on two previous occasions since 2001; believes that the UK must oppose the death penalty in all circumstances, that death penalty assurances are an important mechanism to prevent the use of the death penalty, and that the UK must not provide assistance where it might directly or significantly contribute to the use of the death penalty; and calls on the Government to reform its Overseas Security and Justice Assistance guidance to remove ministerial discretion over decisions to seek death penalty assurances or to provide assistance where no assurances are forthcoming, and to establish a robust system of oversight of these decisions.