The Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) will hold its 94th session at IPU Headquarters in Geneva from 14 to 17 January 2002. The Committee will examine allegations of violations of human rights affecting MPs in 34 countries, including public cases in the following countries : Belarus, Burundi, Cambodia, Colombia, Djibouti, Ecuador, Gambia, Guinea, Honduras, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Turkey. The public report of the Committee is available upon request.

Created in 1976, the Committee, which meets in camera four times a year, is composed of five members of Parliament : Mr. Juan Pablo Letelier (Chile, President), Mr. Mahinda Samarasinghe (Sri Lanka, Vice-President), Mrs. Ann Clwyd (United Kingdom), Mr. Mahamane Ousmane (Niger) and Mrs. Veronika Nedvedova (Czech Republic).

The Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians acts as an intermediary between the sources of complaints and the authorities of the countries concerned. It endeavours to put an end as quickly as possible to any arbitrary measure affecting MPs, to ensure their protection and, where appropriate, to secure compensation for them. During the current session, it will conduct hearings with representatives of the authorities and parliaments concerned. The Committee can also undertake on-site missions.

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Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, the IPU, the oldest multilateral organisation, currently has 142 affiliated national parliaments and five regional assemblies as associate members. The organisation of the world's parliaments also has a Liaison Office with the United Nations in New York.
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CONTACT FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR INTERVIEWS

Mrs. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer Tel. +4122 919 41 16/27 Fax: +4122 919 41 60, 919 41 97 E-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cbl@mail.ipu.org