The and the held this private, off-the-record Parliamentary panel event to discuss rule of law issues in Iran.The All-Party Parliamentary Human Rights Group (PHRG) and the Rule of Law All-Party Parliamentary Group held this private, off-the-record Parliamentary panel event to discuss rule of law issues in Iran.
We would like to thank PHRG Vice-Chair, the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP for chairing this meeting.
The event’s speakers were:
- Ahmed Shaheed, UN Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran;
- Neil Bush, Head of Arabian Peninsula, Department, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO);
- Raha Bahreini, Researcher, Iran Team, Amnesty International;
- Kamran Foroughi, son of British/Iranian dual national Kamal Foroughi imprisoned in Iran since 2011.
The discussion focused on the deficiencies in the Iranian justice system and human rights issues in the country more generally, as well as on ideas as to how to encourage the Iranian Government to bring its justice system in line with international standards. The UK Government’s approach to Iran was also examined, with concerns raised about how a more open relationship with Iran could be impacted, and even undermined, by rule of law issues in the country.
Cases of detained British/Iranian dual nationals were also reviewed, particularly those of 76 year-old Kamal Foroughi, imprisoned in Iran since 2011, and Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, detained in in Iran since April 2016 and whose 22 month old daughter (a British citizen) remains in Iran with her grandparents.
The PHRG will continue to campaign on improving human rights and the rule of law in Iran, as well as use the Parliamentary platform to help raise cases of those detained in the country without regard for due process, including British/Iranian dual nationals.