Document - Iraq: Amnesty International high level visit to Iraq Monday 21 - Friday 25 July

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

Media Briefing

AI Index: MDE 14/158/2003 (Public)

News Service No: 174

18 July 2003

Iraq: Amnesty International high level visit to Iraq Monday 21 - Friday 25 July

Amnesty International Secretary General Irene Khan will lead a high level mission to Iraq next week (Monday 21 July - Friday 25 July).

The Amnesty International delegation will visit Baghdad, Najaf and Basra, and will meet with survivors of past and current human rights violations: families of the 'disappeared', former detainees and families of detainees and victims of recent unlawful killings. The delegation will also meet representatives of civil society, such as women's and human rights organizations and Iraqi religious and political leaders, including members of the Provisional Governing Council.

The mission aims to highlight Amnesty International's solidarity with the Iraqi people and its commitment to ensuring justice in Iraq.

Irene Khan will be meeting Ambassador Paul Bremmer, Administrator for the Coalition Provisional Authority to discuss the organization's concerns raised in a memorandum addressed to him. She will lead a delegation to Najaf where she will hold talks with religious leaders. The delegation will also meet with UK officials.

The delegation includes Curt Goering, Deputy Executive Director of Amnesty International's USA Section , Mahmoud ben Romdhane, representing the Tunisian Section, June Ray Director of the Middle East Program, Liz Hodgkin and Said Boumeddouha, both researchers at the International Secretariat and Joanna Oyediran, a lawyer with expertise on international humanitarian law.

Media activities

A press conference with Irene Khan will be held at 12:00 noon local time, Wednesday 23 July in the Sheraton Hotel Baghdad.

Daily briefings for the media will take place at 18:00, Hammurabi Hotel Baghdad.

Spokespeople will be available for interview throughout the mission.

Iraq on-the-ground press contacts

Judit Arenas on + 88 216 2115 9993 or juditarenas_amnestyinternational@hotmail.com;

Ozlem Dalkiran and Nicole Choueiry + 88 216 2115 9713.

Public Document

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For more information please call Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on +44 20 7413 5566

Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW. web: http://www.amnesty.org

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