I would like to call to order today's meeting of the Subcommittee on International Human Rights. Today we have two distinguished witnesses, one a past guest and former member of this subcommittee, and one with whom we share a great number of concerns and have the pleasure of hearing for what I think is the first time.
Before we begin, I want to explain that we are undertaking two days of hearings as part of this subcommittee's annual Iran Accountability Week. This past year we've seen an intensification of human rights abuses and repression in Iran, including execution and torture and the further diminishment of political and civil rights. We, as the human rights subcommittee, want to be on the record that human rights abuses in Iran are always top of mind and to ensure that these issues maintain their significance and publicity.
During these two days of hearings we'll be focusing on the Iranian regime's repression in particular of political prisoners and the grave human rights abuses faced by the LGBTQ community and individuals.
On today's panel we have, from the Bahá'í Community of Canada, Corinne Box, director of government relations, and as previously mentioned, from the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights, we have the Honourable Irwin Cotler, founding chair.
Ms. Box, if you'd like, you may start with your opening remarks. Then we will move to Professor Cotler.
Thank you.