Aadel Collection
European Parliament — Political Affairs Committee — Notice to Members
7.
Parliament's department for Protocol and Conferences, and its Security
Services, have been requested to take the necessary steps to control
access to the building and to make arrangements to ensure the smooth
functioning of the hearing.
)
)
—4—
PE 101.527/Ann. I
-S
ANNEX I
1.
As agreed at the Political Affairs Committee on 19—21 June 1985, at the
proposal of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, the hearing on ‘Respect
for human rights in Iran' is to take place during the full day of
28 November 1985 (9.00 a.m. — 12.30 and 3.00 p.m. — 6.30 p.m.) at
97—113 rue Betliard. There wilt be preparatory meetings of the
Political Affairs Committee and of the Human Rights Subcommittee
during the afternoon of 27 November. (It was envisaged that if the
Iranian Government were to accept an invitation to participate, they
might prefer to do so separately from the other participants, and
could, thus, make their presentation on the afternoon of 27 November.)
)
2.
The specialists and witnesses invited to address the hearing are listed
in Annex II of this document. The list was drawn up by the Subcommittee
on the basis of a mandate from the Political Affairs Committee, and is
desi ned to cover the following subjects, deemed to be of primary
importance by the Subcommittee:
— The situation of religious and ethnic minorities
— Torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, and the use of the death
penalty
— The situation of women in Iran
— Conscription of children to fight on the Iran—Iraq warfront
3 _ a_IyQ1_ j0g
As is the usual practice with the committee's public hearings,
Parliament's Director General for Information will advise the Brussels
press corps that they are free to attend. The Brussels diplomatic
corps will also be permitted to send observers. Interested NGOs and
human rights organisations also will be able to be present. (A
formaL decision as to whether Iranian politicians in exile should be
present remains to be taken by the Political Committee Certain of
these exiled groups have expressed an interest in attending the hearing )
S
— — PE 101.527/Ann.I
4. Allocation of time
In view of the number of experts invited (see Annex II), clearly it
wilt be necessary to adhere to a rather strict timetable. It is
envisaged that each subject would be introduced by a principal
spokesman/spokeswoman with a presentation tasting some 15—20 minutes.
In some instances, it is envisaged that ‘joint—presentations' could
be made (for instance, an ‘expert' together with a ‘witness'), in
which case the presentation might last some 20—25 minutes.
Provided that the timetable can be adhered to, it should be possible
to allow some 45—50 minutes for ‘question and answer' with Members.
(
For questions it is envisaged that the same procedure would apply as
at the quarterly colloquies: Members wishing to put questions will
ask their names to be listed by the Secretariat, and will then be called
to speak, at the appropriate time by the President. Members are
asked to limit the length of their questions to one minute at the most.
Questions will be taken in groups of three, after which the ‘expert'
or ‘witness' will be invited to reply.
5. Documentation in dossiers
Each ‘expert' has been invited, if he so wishes, to submit written
material in advance which is relevant to the subject which he will
address. Provided that, as requested, this material is received in
good time, it wilt be available i _ _grigi gy g in Members'
dossiers. It is understood that a number of NGOs and other specialist
bodies might also submit material, which also would be available in the
room, provided that it is relevant. (The ‘Human Rights Unit' of the
Directorate General for Research and Documentation has agreed to screen
and coordinate distribution of this additional material.)
6. j j
The Director General for Information and Public Relations has been
requested to alert the Brussels press corps, and to seek to ensure that
maximum publicity is given to this event.
—3—
PE 101.527/Ann. I
7.
Parliament's department for Protocol and Conferences, and its Security
Services, have been requested to take the necessary steps to control
access to the buiLding and to make arrangements to ensure the smooth
functioning of the hearing.
)
)
—4—
PE 101.527/Ann. I
- a .
ANNEX II
PUBLIC HEARING OF THE POLITICAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
ON RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN IRAN
Wednesday 2? November 1985 afternoon
Thursday 28 November 1985 morning and afternoon
97—113 rue Betliard
1010 BRUSSELS
Tel. (02) 234.21 .11
PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME 1
)
Preparatory meetings of the Political Affairs Committee and/or the Subcommittee
on Human Rights; and, possibly, presentation by a representative of the
Iranian Government.
.
Opening of the hearing by the chairman of the Political Affairs Committee,
Mr Roberto Formigoni, who will co—chair the hearing with Mrs len van den Heuvet,
chairman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights.
Introduction
(comparing pre—Shah and post—Shah Mr Peter Avery of King's
Iran, putting the Khomeini revolution College, Cambridge
in the context of the Islamic world,
and in particular, describing Iran's
ethnic and religious composition,
and its treatment of minorities)
/“situatIon_ i jDgrjrL.gr 2 A spokesman of the Bahá'i
- International Community,
accompanied by one or
more ‘witnesses' who have
personal experience of human
• rights abuses in Iran
1 Members will be advised of any changes to this programme
2 Exact timings yet to bedetermined
— 5 — PE 101.527/Ann. XI
Mr Karim Lahidji, Paris—
based Lawyer, who practised
law in Iran under both the
Shah and during the earLy
part of the Khomeini regime
Maitre Christian Rostoker,
French lawyer and Deputy
Secretary General of the
Federation InternationaLe
des Droits de I.'Homme who
has published reports on
the human rights situation
in Iran in 1984 following (.
fact—finding mission to that
country
Frau Dr Schahnaz—Alami,
Berlin—based expert on Iran
who has published widely
on this topic.
It is envisaged that a
witness, with direct personal
experience of the current
situation of women in Iran
(possibly from the Movement
of Iranian Women in Frankfurt)
also will address this topic
Joint presentation by
Mr Michet Rod, Director of
Terre des Hommes, Lausanne,
and Mr Per Tegmo of Defense
des Enfants Internationate.
(These organisations, which
speciatise in childrens'
welfare, have visited prison
camps in Iraq and Iran and
reported on conscription of
children for the war effort.)
— 6 — PE 101.527/Ann. II
