Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians

Ms. Aleksandra Jerkov, President Ms. Delsa Solórzano, Vice‐President (Serbia) (Venezuela)

Mr. Ali A. Alaradi, President Ms. Fawzia Koofi Mr. Federico Pinedo Ms. Laurence Dumont (Bahrain) (Afghanistan) (Argentina) (France)

Mr. Nassirou Bako‐Arifari Mr. Andrea Caroni Ms. Julie Mukoda Zabwe Mr. David Carter (Benin) (Switzerland) (Uganda) (New Zealand)

The Inter-Parliamentary Union, the Headquarters in Geneva (usually in parliamentarian, reinstatement of a world organization of national January) and twice in conjunction previously relinquished parliaments, set up a procedure in with the bi-annual IPU Assemblies parliamentary seat, the effective 1976 for the treatment of (usually March/April and investigation of abuses and legal complaints regarding human rights September/October). On those action against their perpetrators. violations of parliamentarians. It occasions, it examines and adopts entrusted the Committee on the decisions on the cases that have The Committee does everything it Human Rights of Parliamentarians been referred to it. can to nurture a dialogue with the with implementing that procedure. authorities of the countries concerned in its pursuit of a The procedure satisfactory settlement. It is in this Composition The Committee seeks to establish spirit that, during the IPU The Committee is composed of the facts of a given case by Assemblies, the Committee 10 members of parliament, cross-checking and verifying, with regularly meets with the representing the major regions of the authorities of the countries parliamentary delegations of such the world. They are elected in their concerned, the complainants and countries and may suggest sending personal capacity for a mandate of other sources of information, the an on-site mission to help move a five years. The current President of allegations and information case forward. The Committee also the Committee is Ms. A. forwarded to it. It examines cases hears representatives of the Aleksandra, Member of the and aims to find a satisfactory complainant regularly and, if National Assembly of Serbia. settlement of a complaint in the possible, the members of light of national and applicable parliament concerned themselves. Sessions international and regional human rights laws. Such settlements can The Committee’s decisions are The Committee meets in camera take a variety of forms, such as the public, unless it considers that three times a year, once at IPU release of a detained there are overriding reasons for

keeping a decision confidential.  the parliamentarian or former the information thus gathered, The Committee can decide to bring parliamentarian whose which the Committee examines at a case to the attention of the IPU fundamental rights have been its subsequent session. If a case is Governing Council, its plenary violated (or a member of his/her admissible, it adopts a decision on decision-making body, by family, or his/her legal the substance, which is forwarded presenting a draft decision for representative); to the authorities and the adoption by it. In adopting the  another parliamentarian; complainants. The Committee will decision, the Governing Council  a political party; continue to examine and adopt expresses the concern of the entire  a national or international decisions on a case during its IPU membership and invites all human rights organization (the subsequent sessions, until a Member Parliaments to act, on the United Nations and its satisfactory settlement has been basis of the principle of specialized agencies, reached that is achievable in its parliamentary solidarity, in support intergovernmental and inter- view. of it. parliamentary organizations, non-governmental More information organizations and national Competence More information about the work of human rights institutions, etc.). The Committee may only examine the Committee is available on the All complaints must be submitted in complaints concerning members of IPU website: writing to the President of the national parliaments (not regional or https://www.ipu.org/about- Committee or to the IPU Secretary local assemblies). It may also us/structure/governing- General at [email protected]. examine the cases of former council/committee-human-rights- members of parliament if the parliamentarians alleged human rights violations Admissibility occurred during their term of office, If a complaint appears to be prima  Info-graphics on the human or exceptionally when the alleged facie admissible, the Secretary rights abuses of MPs in 2018 violations refer directly to events General institutes a preliminary  Video on the work of the that took place when they were still investigation by informing the Committee members of parliament. In the case Speaker of the parliament of the  Rules and practices of the of an unlawful dissolution of country concerned that a complaint Committee on the Human parliament, the Committee extends has been submitted to the Rights of Parliamentarians its protection to the remaining legal Committee, and inviting him/her to  Decisions of the Committee term of office of the member(s) of provide observations and and the IPU Governing parliament concerned. information on the situation of the Council member of parliament concerned. Complaints The substance of any reply is communicated to the complainant Who can submit a complaint to the for comments. The Secretariat Committee? draws up a report on the basis of