[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 71 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 71

 Condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution 
   of the Baha'i minority in Iran and its continued violation of the 
                International Covenants on Human Rights.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 9, 2009

 Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Whitehouse, Ms. Snowe, Mr. 
   Brownback, Ms. Collins, Mr. Reid, Mr. Lieberman, Mr. Durbin, Ms. 
  Murkowski, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Burris, Mr. Martinez, Mrs. 
Murray, Mr. Hatch, Mr. Isakson, and Mr. Levin) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                            December 1, 2009

 Committee discharged; considered, amended, and agreed to and with an 
                            amended preamble

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution 
   of the Baha'i minority in Iran and its continued violation of the 
                International Covenants on Human Rights.

Whereas in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2006, and 2008, 
        Congress declared that it deplored the religious persecution by the 
        Government of Iran of the Baha'i community and would hold the Government 
        of Iran responsible for upholding the rights of all Iranian nationals, 
        including members of the Baha'i faith;
Whereas in November 2007, the Iranian Ministry of Information in Shiraz jailed 
        Baha'is Ms. Raha Sabet, age 33, Mr. Sasan Taqva, age 32, and Ms. Haleh 
        Roohi, age 29, for ostensibly ``indirectly teaching the Baha'i Faith'' 
        and ``engaging in anti-government propaganda'' while educating 
        underprivileged children and gave them 4-year prison terms, which they 
        are serving;
Whereas Ms. Sabet, Mr. Taqva, and Ms. Roohi were targeted solely on the basis of 
        their religion;
Whereas on January 23, 2008, the Department of State released a statement urging 
        the Government of Iran to release all individuals held without due 
        process and a fair trial, including the 3 young Baha'is being held in an 
        Iranian Ministry of Intelligence detention center in Shiraz;
Whereas in March and May of 2008, Iranian intelligence officials in Mashhad and 
        Tehran arrested and imprisoned Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin 
        Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mrs. 
        Mahvash Sabet, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm, the members of the coordinating 
        group for the Baha'i community in Iran;
Whereas these seven leaders have been imprisoned for well over a year and are 
        yet to stand trial, the trial having been delayed multiple times;
Whereas official Iranian media has announced that they will face charges of 
        ``espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda 
        against the Islamic Republic'';
Whereas these seven Baha'i leaders were targeted solely on the basis of their 
        religion; and
Whereas the Government of Iran is party to the International Covenants on Human 
        Rights: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored 
        persecution of the Baha'i minority in Iran and its continued 
        violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights;
            (2) calls on the Government of Iran to immediately release 
        the seven leaders and all other prisoners held solely on 
        account of their religion, including Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, 
        Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. 
        Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Vahid Tizfahm, Ms. 
        Raha Sabet, Mr. Sasan Taqva, and Ms. Haleh Roohi; and
            (3) calls on the President and Secretary of State, in 
        cooperation with responsible nations, to immediately condemn 
        the Government of Iran's continued violation of human rights 
        and demand the immediate release of prisoners held solely on 
        account of their religion, including Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, 
        Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. 
        Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Vahid Tizfahm, Ms. 
        Raha Sabet, Mr. Sasan Taqva, and Ms. Haleh Roohi.
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