[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 415 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 415

 Calling for a renewed focus on the Government of the Islamic Republic 
  of Iran's violations of internationally-recognized human rights as 
          found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 11, 2010

  Mr. Casey (for himself, Mr. McCain, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. 
  Levin, and Mr. Kerry) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Calling for a renewed focus on the Government of the Islamic Republic 
  of Iran's violations of internationally-recognized human rights as 
          found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has violated 
        international standards for human rights by using violence to disperse 
        peaceful assemblies by its own citizens;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran suppressed peaceful 
        commemorations by members of Iran's Green Movement at the anniversary of 
        Iran's Islamic revolution on February 11, 2010;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran's sustained campaign of 
        violence against Iranian citizens who have peacefully protested the 
        irregularities in the flawed Iranian presidential elections of June 12, 
        2009 has demonstrated to the world that the present Iranian regime is 
        fully capable of widespread violence against its own citizens;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran currently has 65 
        journalists and bloggers imprisoned, more than any single country in the 
        world, according to Reporters without Borders and in the past week 
        arrested 10 journalists;
Whereas the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has restricted access to 
        the internet, including its recent announcement to permanently block 
        Google's Gmail service;
Whereas Iranian citizen's right to due process has been violated, with the 
        judiciary detaining government critics and religious minorities, and 
        ordering executions of peaceful demonstrators;
Whereas the use of arbitrary detention and the infliction of cruel and degrading 
        punishments by the Iranian authorities are in direct violation of 
        Articles 7, 9 and 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and 
        Political Rights (ICCPR) as well as Articles 22 (the right to human 
        dignity), 36 (Sentencing in accordance with the law), 38 (prohibition of 
        torture) and 39 (the rights of arrested persons) of the Iranian 
        Constitution.
    Resolved, That the Senate of the United States:
            (1) pays tribute to the courageous advocates for democracy 
        and human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran who are 
        engaged in peaceful efforts to encourage democratic reform;
            (2) notes that it is the right of the people of the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran to peacefully assemble and to express their 
        opinions and aspirations without intimidation, repression, and 
        violence;
            (3) supports freedom of speech in the Islamic Republic of 
        Iran as elsewhere and the ability of journalists and bloggers 
        to report without repression by government authorities;
            (4) desires that the men and women of Iran be able to enjoy 
        due process in the Iranian judicial system including the right 
        to a fair trial;
            (5) expresses serious concern over the Government of the 
        Islamic Republic of Iran's brutal suppression of its citizens 
        through censorship, imprisonment, and continued acts of 
        violence;
            (6) denounces the atmosphere of impunity in the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran for those who employ intimidation, harassment, 
        or violence to restrict and suppress freedom of speech, freedom 
        of expression, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press;
            (7) urges the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to 
        fully observe the ICCPR, which has been ratified by the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran and states, ``Everyone shall have the right to 
        freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to 
        seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, 
        regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, 
        in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice''.
            (8) calls upon the Islamic Republic of Iran to abide by the 
        resolutions adopted by the U.N. General Assembly, in particular 
        the resolution on the situation of human rights in the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran of December 2009;
            (9) communicates deep concern that, despite the Islamic 
        Republic of Iran's standing invitation to all thematic special 
        procedures mandate holders, it has not fulfilled any requests 
        from those special mechanisms to visit the country in four 
        years and has not answered numerous communications from those 
        special mechanisms, and strongly urges the Government of the 
        Islamic Republic of Iran to fully cooperate with the special 
        mechanisms, especially the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, 
        summary or arbitrary executions, the Special Rapporteur on 
        torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or 
        punishment, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and 
        protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, 
        the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights 
        defenders, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the 
        Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances;
            (10) encourages the UN Human Rights Council to fully 
        examine these issues during its Universal Periodic Review of 
        the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 15, 2010.
                                 <all>