[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 31 Enrolled Bill (ENR)]

<DOC>

        S.Con.Res. 31
                                        Agreed to April 19, 1994        

                       One Hundred Third Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE SECOND SESSION

          Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
 the twenty-fifth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-
                                  four


                          Concurrent Resolution
Whereas in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, and 1992, the Congress, by 
  concurrent resolution, declared that it holds the Government of Iran 
  responsible for upholding the rights of all its nationals, including 
  members of the Baha'i Faith, Iran's largest religious minority;
Whereas in such resolutions and in numerous other appeals, the Congress 
  condemned the Government of Iran's religious persecution of the 
  Baha'i community, including the execution of more than 200 Baha'is, 
  the imprisonment of additional thousands, and other repressive and 
  discriminatory actions against Baha'is based solely upon their 
  religious beliefs;
Whereas in 1992, the Government of Iran summarily executed a leading 
  member of the Baha'i community, arrested and imprisoned several other 
  Baha'is, condemned two Baha'i prisoners to death on account of their 
  religion, and confiscated individual Baha'is' homes and personal 
  properties in several cities;
Whereas the Government of Iran continues to deny the Baha'i community 
  the right to organize, to elect its leaders, to hold community 
  property for worship or assembly, to operate religious schools and to 
  conduct other normal religious community activities; and
Whereas on February 22, 1993, the United Nations Commission on Human 
  Rights published a formerly confidential Iranian government document 
  constituting a blueprint for the destruction of the Baha'i community, 
  which document reveals that these repressive actions are the result 
  of a deliberate policy designed and approved by the highest officials 
  of the Government of Iran: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That the Congress_
        (1) continues to hold the Government of Iran responsible for 
    upholding the rights of all its nationals, including members of the 
    Baha'i community, in a manner consistent with Iran's obligations 
    under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other 
    international agreements guaranteeing the civil and political 
    rights of its citizens;
        (2) condemns the repressive anti-Baha'i policy adopted by the 
    Government of Iran, as set forth in a confidential official 
    document which explicitly states that Baha'is shall be denied 
    access to education and employment, and that the government's 
    policy is to deal with Baha'is ``in such a way that their progress 
    and development are blocked'';
        (3) expresses concern that individual Baha'is continue to 
    suffer from severely repressive and discriminatory government 
    actions, solely on account of their religion; and that the Baha'i 
    community continues to be denied legal recognition and the basic 
    rights to organize, elect its leaders, educate its youth, and 
    conduct the normal activities of a law-abiding religious community;
        (4) urges the Government of Iran to extend to the Baha'i 
    community the rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of 
    Human Rights and the international covenants on human rights, 
    including the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and 
    equal protection of the law; and
        (5) calls upon the President to continue_
            (A) to emphasize that the United States regards the human 
        rights practices of the Government of Iran, particularly its 
        treatment of the Baha'i community and other religious 
        minorities, as a significant factor in the development of the 
        United States Government's relations with the Government of 
        Iran;
            (B) to urge the Government of Iran to emancipate the Baha'i 
        community by granting those rights guaranteed by the Universal 
        Declaration of Human Rights and the international covenants on 
        human rights; and
            (C) to encourage other governments to continue to appeal to 
        the Government of Iran, and to cooperate with other governments 
        and international organizations, including the United Nations 
        and its agencies, in efforts to protect the religious rights of 
        the Baha'is and other minorities through joint appeals to the 
        Government of Iran and through other appropriate actions.
    Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this 
concurrent resolution to the President.
  Attest:







                                               Secretary of the Senate.

  Attest:







                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.