§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they accept the allegations of lying, reported in the Observer of 19th January, against the National Programme Director of UNICEF, Muhammad Reza Husseini, in connection with the involvement of UNICEF's local branch in the operations of the Iranian Hazrat Ali mental asylum and with the quality of the asylum; and what action they can take to investigate the allegations.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyIt is for UNICEF to respond to allegations made against their staff in Iran.
§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Muhammad Reza Husseini secretly discussed with the Iranian newspaper Keyhan Havai a plan to discredit the makers of a film shown on CNN exposing the treatment of children in the Iranian Hazrat Ali mental asylum; and what action might be taken to investigate the alleged threats against Ms Nahid Zare Kamal, the journalist who made the film, that she would be tortured unless she confessed that the film was fabricated.
§ Baroness Chalker of WallaseyWe are aware of the programme shown on CNN about the treatment of children in the Hazrat Ali mental asylum. But we have no confirmation of the allegations subsequently made against Muhammad Reza Husseini. We are concerned about the alleged threats against Ms Nahid Zare Kamal, but have no independent means to investigate.