[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 556 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 556

   Condemning the Government of Iran for its continued persecution, 
  imprisonment, and sentencing of Youcef Nadarkhani on the charge of 
                               apostasy.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 17, 2012

 Mr. Pitts (for himself, Mr. Franks of Arizona, Mr. Shuler, Mr. Wolf, 
  Mr. McGovern, Mr. Ellison, and Mr. Carter) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Condemning the Government of Iran for its continued persecution, 
  imprisonment, and sentencing of Youcef Nadarkhani on the charge of 
                               apostasy.

Whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 
        International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights uphold that every 
        individual shall have ``the right to freedom of thought, conscience and 
        religion'', which includes the ``freedom to change his religion or 
        belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in 
        public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, 
        practice, worship and observance'';
Whereas Iran is a member of the United Nations and signatory to both the 
        Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on 
        Civil and Political Rights;
Whereas articles 23 through 27 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of 
        Iran provide for freedom of expression, assembly, and association, as 
        well as the freedom to practice one's religion;
Whereas Iran is a religiously diverse society and the United Nations Special 
        Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of 
        Iran reports that religious minorities including Nematullahi Sufi 
        Muslims, Sunnis, Baha'is, and Christians face human rights violations in 
        Iran;
Whereas in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of 
        incidents of Iranian authorities raiding religious services, detaining 
        worshippers and religious leaders, and harassing and threatening 
        minority religious members;
Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights reports that 
        Iranian intelligence officials are known to threaten Christian converts 
        with arrest and apostasy charges if they do not return to Islam;
Whereas in October 2009, Youcef Nadarkhani, a minority Christian, protested an 
        Iranian law that would impose Islam on his Christian children;
Whereas in September 2010, an Iranian court accused Youcef Nadarkhani of 
        abandoning the Islamic faith of his ancestors, and condemned him to 
        death for apostasy;
Whereas the Iranian court sentenced Youcef Nadarkhani to death by hanging 
        according to Article 167 of the Iranian Constitution, Article 8 from the 
        book of Tahrir Alvasilah Fi Sofat Alghazi Va Maianaseb Lah, and Fatwas 
        of Shia theologians;
Whereas, on December 5, 2010, Youcef Nadarkhani appealed his conviction and 
        sentence to the Supreme Revolutionary Court in Qom, Iran, and the court 
        held that if it could be proven that he was a practicing Muslim in 
        adulthood, his death sentence should be carried out unless he recants 
        his Christian faith and adopts Islam;
Whereas, on September 25, 2011, through September 28, 2011, the State Court of 
        Gilan Section 11 held hearings to determine if Youcef Nadarkhani was a 
        practicing Muslim in adulthood, and held that he had abandoned the faith 
        of his ancestors and must be sentenced to death if he does not recant 
        his faith;
Whereas on numerous occasions the judiciary of Iran offered to commute Youcef 
        Nadarkhani's sentence if he would recant his faith;
Whereas numerous Government of Iran officials have attempted to coerce Youcef 
        Nadarkhani to recant his Christian faith and accept Islam in exchange 
        for his freedom;
Whereas upon the date of the passing of this resolution, Youcef Nadarkhani has 
        refused to recant his faith;
Whereas the Government of Iran continues to indefinitely imprison Youcef 
        Nadarkhani for choosing to practice Christianity; and
Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights reported that, at 
        the time of his report, in 2011, Iran had secretly executed 146 people, 
        and in 2010, Iran secretly executed more than 300 people: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored 
        persecution of religious minorities in the Islamic Republic of 
        Iran and its continued violation of the Universal Declaration 
        of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and 
        Political Rights, and calls for the Government of Iran to 
        exonerate and immediately release Youcef Nadarkhani and all 
        other individuals held or charged on account of their religion;
            (2) recognizes that freedom of religious belief and 
        practice is a universal human right and a fundamental freedom 
        of every individual, regardless of race, sex, country, creed, 
        or nationality, and should never be arbitrarily abridged by any 
        government; and
            (3) recognizes that governments have a responsibility to 
        protect the fundamental rights of their citizens and to pursue 
        justice for all.
                                 <all>