—by the PKK and they have claimed the lives and changed the lives of many innocent civilians and their families, including children. The PKK has been accused of being involved in the narcotics trade, child smuggling, tax evasion and counterfeit-money production. As recently as 2016, Human Rights Watch alleged that groups affiliated to the PKK have recruited boys and girls to be soldiers in their cause. And the PKK, of course, continue to mount deadly terrorist attacks in Turkey.

Now, there have rightly been many questions asked of the actions of Turkey during the conflict that they have had with the PKK, including their treatment of prisoners. Now, clearly, Turkey has a legitimate right to defend itself against the PKK and terrorism, but, as is the case in any conflict, civilian casualties should always be avoided and human rights should always be fully respected and protected. Successive UK Governments have rightly urged the Turkish authorities to respect human rights, including the right to freedom of expression in the course of their anti-terror operations. And earlier this year, British Embassy officials discussed the imprisonment of Abdullah Öcalan with Turkish officials, including the issue of the hunger strikes by Leyla Güven and others. They have made it clear that the UK expects Turkey to ensure that prisoners' human rights are observed, including access to medical treatment and legal representation, and that all sides in this conflict, all stakeholders, need to return to the peace process. And to this end, the UK Government has provided funding to civil society organisations that are seeking to build dialogue between the different actors on the Kurdish issue, and I think we ought to recognise that in this debate.

Now, time has beaten me, but I do hope that Members will recognise that we've sought to clarify and give some context to this debate by making it clear with our amendments just what's behind the situation that we find ourselves in, and we have the opportunity this afternoon to condemn the terrorism that has been perpetrated by the PKK.