Statements by Barbara LOCHBIHLER (Greens/EFA, DE), and F. HEREDIA, representative of the Spanish EU Council Presidency durig a meeting of the SubCommittee on Human Rights on the Human Rights in Iran in view of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the forthcoming HRC elections.

exchange of views

Subcommittee on Human Rights

EU - Iran (T)

respect for human rights in the world (T)

LOCHBIHLER, Barbara (Greens/EFA, DE)

Human Rights in Iran in view of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and the forthcoming HRC elections: extract from the exchange of views

SOUNDBITE (Original), Barbara LOCHBIHLER, "We criticized strongly international companies and singled out Nokia , Siemens cooperation in providing Iranian authorities with Internet technology for censorship and surveillance technology and not only in our resolution but I have to say protest of lots of people and human Rights Organisations worldwide made it possible that the leadership of these two companies changed their policies and have given up providing this technology to Iran so I think that this is a good decision by this company but of course the gap or the space in this segment of the market is filled in by other companies from different countries" "

SOUNDBITE (Original), Barbara LOCHBIHLER,"WHat is not on the February resolution on Human Rights but I raised the issue with the President of the Iranian Parliament is the introduction of a new family bill,which has different issues , but one which is very much on our concern is one to lower the age for marriage in Iran from 16 to 13 and also to introduce a certain form of poligamy, so those two issues are clearly a big step backward and not forward in improving and protecting the human rights situation in Iran"

SOUNDBITE (Original), Barbara LOCHBIHLER,"The issue was raised that the Iranian government is standing for elections to be elected to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, this was on our concern , as we just heard, preferably governments with relatively good slate on human rights would be elected so it would be of course,given the severe human rights violations in Iran, it would be really not a good sign to have them in the Council. Now according to information by Reuters in the Washington Post , from today,it is said and I quote that UN diplomats told Reuters Iran had informed other Asian delegations it had withdrawn its candidacy for a seat on the Human Rights Council, so that is the stand of information"

SOUNDBITE (Spanish) by F HEREDIA, representative of the Spanish EU Council Presidency:"It was decided to concentrate our efforts to neutralize Iran's candidacy and re evaluate in June the possibility to adopt a resolution in14th session of the Human Rights Council, today as you said in your introduction it seems that Iran has withdrawn its candidacy."

Cutaway on meeting documents " Exchange of views on Human Rights in Iran"

Cutaways on the audience and speakers table, (5 shots)