Today, March 24, 2009, the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development is holding its eighth meeting.
We have two witnesses with us today. Just before I introduce them, I should note, for the benefit of committee members, that this meeting is televised. I'm very pleased with that. Normally it's difficult for us to get a meeting televised, and in this hour-and-a-half slot, because we take second priority to full committees. As a consequence, the meeting on Thursday will be only an hour long, and it will start at one o'clock rather than at 12:30 in order to get a televised hearing for our next witness. However, today we have an hour and a half, and we are televised.
We have two very distinguished witnesses: Fakhteh Luna Zamani, who is president of the Association for Defence of Azerbaijani Political Prisoners in Iran; and Ahmad Batebi, who is a spokesperson for Human Rights Activists in Iran.
Madame Zamani produced a presentation, which I believe has been given to all of you. It was translated. I guess there's a map that goes with that as well, which is being circulated.
Mr. Batebi has also produced a report for us. Unfortunately, Mr. Batebi was contacted rather late by us. He had some problems getting through from the United States to Canada, and the result is that we haven't had a chance to translate his presentation into both official languages. The clerk is not permitted by our rules to distribute it, although we will get it translated as fast as possible. It is available, nevertheless, for members who wish to see it.
There is one other matter to draw to everybody's attention, and that is that Mr. Batebi was expecting he would have a translator. We tried to provide for it. Unfortunately, the clerk has informed me that the individual has not turned up. That creates a small problem. I think we'll deal with this by simply taking this very slowly. Madame Zamani has offered to assist with any translation issues that arise, if that seems reasonable to folks.
That being said, I'm going to invite our witnesses to start.
Madame Zamani, perhaps you could begin for us. Thank you.