III 111th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 415 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.

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.