This year the government imprisoned academics supporting the rule of law and critics of the regime in addition to thousands of individuals they categorise as "security detainees" because they are allegedly involved in the Iraq insurgency.
A report from the House of Commons international development committee on Thursday urges the Department for International Development (DfID) to focus more closely on supporting the rule of law and anti-corruption efforts.
"But if this principle is to do any meaningful work in supporting the rule of law," he said, "it must at least demand a significant justification, beyond the preferences of five justices, for overturning settled doctrine".
"I am very surprised at the notion that a DUP minister, for all the party's claims about supporting the rule of law, would make the kind of cuts that are currently being proposed for the police service.
When countries like the U.S. commit funds to protect wildlife on the ground, we are supporting the rule of law and stability in those countries.
And not if we do not care to be laughed at the next time we speak of supporting the rule of law and democratic regimes.
