Iran: Project News

LATEST NEWS

Media Monitoring Report - now online

  • The first two media monitoring reports on the international media's coverage of Iranian human rights stories, for the periods January-April 2007 and July-September 2007, are available here.

  • The third and final report cross-analysising the two previous reports, examining and analysing the rapporteurs' findings, identifying the chief trends evident in both reports as well as the key differences is available here.

Conference on Islam, International and Comparative Law (3 December 2007)

Further pursuing its objectives not only to promote the understanding of international law amongst Islamic lawyers but also to advance the understanding of Islamic law amongst international lawyers, the British Institute of International and Comparative Law organised the conference titled Islam, International and Comparative Law: Current Issues.

The keynote speeches were given by HE Judge Awn Shawkat Al Khasawneh, Vice-President of the International Court of Justice, and Professor Tariq Ramadan from University of Oxford.

The distinguished experts addressed the following issues:

What is Islamic international law (as-siyar), what is its relationship to international law and how is it relevant in today's world?

  • What is the contribution of Islamic law to public international law?
  • How is public international law implemented at the domestic level by Islamic states?
  • What is the relationship between Islamic law and private international law?

And has focused on the specific topics of:

  • Use of force and terrorism
  • Human rights and gender issues
  • Business and finances

More information on this event can be found here.

For the profiles of the speakers : click here

For the full programme: click here

For pictures : click here


Workshops on Some Comparative Themes between Iranian and European Legal systems - London, Nov 30th - Dec 1st, 2007

Within the framework of the project on Human Rights in International Law and Iran, and as part of the collaboration between the institute and the Center of Human Rights at Mofid University, Qom, and the Unesco Chair at Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, 2 events were held at the institute exploring some comparative aspects between Iranian and European legal systems.

For the full programme : click here

For the profiles of the speakers: click here

For pictures : click here

NOV 30th - PRIVACY AND THE LAW : COMPARATIVE ASPECTS

Please Click here for the full report

DEC 1st - PROCEDURAL JUSTICE : COMPARATIVE ASPECTS

Please Click here for the full report

PAST NEWS

Workshop on international law and Islamic law (26 June 2007)

The relationship between international law and Islamic law is of growing global interest, however there remains a dearth of quality empirical research in this area.

The British Institute of International and Comparative Law explores the relationship between Islamic law and international law, through a comparative analysis with the objective:

  • to promote the understanding of international law amongst Islamic lawyers;
  • to promote the understanding of Islamic law amongst international lawyers.

The workshop gathered eminent experts who provided the Iran project team of the Institute with useful insights into the nature of Islamic law, its diversified implementation in Islamic countries and its relationship to International law. While there is significant experience and activity in the field, it was concluded that there are still areas to be explored. Institutional exchange and collaboration and further research are key elements to raise awareness, disseminate knowledge and enhance understanding amongst international and Islamic lawyers on the ways each legal system operates.

To follow-up, the Institute will host a conference titled "Islam and International Law: Current Issues" in the second half of November. Further details will be available soon.

More information on this event can be found here.

Divorce Iranian Style - film showing and discussion (20 June 2007)

"Divorce Iranian Style" is a documentary film by Kim Longinotto and Ziba Mir-Hosseini. The documentary is set in a courtroom in central Tehran, and with the barest of commentary it follows a number of women who come before the judge and use whatever they can-reason, argument, charm, outrage, pleas for sympathy, patience, wit-to get what they each need.

The showing of the documentary was followed by a presentation by Prof. Mir-Hosseini on the film and family law in Iran, and a discussion with Dr. Nisrine Abiad on recent family law amendments in Islamic states.

More information on this event can be found here.

BIICL research fellows of Iran project visit Iran (26 February - 4 March 2007)

Dr Aphrodite Smagadi and Victor Kattan, research fellows of the Institute's Iran project, travelled to Iran to do research in the framework of the project. They had the opportunity to meet with representatives from academia, judiciary, bar association and NGOs and discuss the relationship of international human rights law and Islamic Sharia principles. The objectives of the visit were to promote mutual understanding of human rights principles under international and Islamic law, foster academic dialogue and improve collaboration between BIICL and Iranian academic institutions, researchers and legal practitioners.

Iranian and European Judges' Conference: the Prosecutor's Role in a Fair Trial (Tehran, 7 - 8 December 2005)

Three members of the London BIICL team, Dr Susan Breau, who also presented a paper on the Right to Defence, Dr Maria Vogiatzi and Anna Riddell were present at the conference. The event was a great opportunity for the Tehran and London project teams to touch base and liaise with members of the Iranian Bar Association, with judges and academics. The conference and the parallel meetings showed that Iranian judges and academics are eager to engage in human rights dialogue with their European colleagues, cooperate and exchange information.