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