Order, please.
Welcome to the Subcommittee on International Human Rights of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development. Today is Wednesday, May 6, 2014, and this is our 25th meeting.
We are televised, colleagues, and we have two witnesses today as part of our Iran accountability week. This is a series of hearings that have been occurring for several years now at the behest of our colleague, Professor Cotler, but with the full support of all committee members.
We have two witnesses with us today. Fatemeh Haghighatjoo is the chief executive officer of the Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy, and Shari Bryan is the vice-president of the National Democratic Institute.
My clerk advises me, Madam Haghighatjoo, you'll begin first and that Ms. Bryan, you have somewhat more concise or fewer remarks. I'll just mention as you're tracking your remarks, if they're not fully prepared, that the more time that is taken up in the opening remarks, the less time we have for you to respond to questions.
From my own experience, and I think committee members will agree with me, often the questioning and answers are the parts that are best able to allow you to bring out the facts that you think should be before the subcommittee.
Yes, Mr. Sweet.