[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 385 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 385

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 1, 2012

 Mr. Vitter (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Kirk, 
Mr. Blunt, and Mr. Hatch) submitted the following resolution; which was 
             referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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, adopted at 
        Paris December 10, 1948, and the International Covenant on Civil and 
        Political Rights, adopted at New York December 16, 1966, recognize that 
        every individual has ``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 the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights 
        in Iran has reported 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 authorities in Iran raiding religious services, detaining 
        worshipers and religious leaders, and harassing and threatening members 
        of religious minorities;
Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights 
        in Iran has reported that intelligence officials in Iran are known to 
        threaten Christian converts with arrest and apostasy charges if they do 
        not return to Islam;
Whereas the Department of State's most recent report on International Religious 
        Freedom, released on September 13, 2011, states that Iran's ``laws and 
        policies severely restrict freedom of religion,'' and notes ``government 
        imprisonment, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination based on 
        religious beliefs'' including ``death sentences for apostasy or 
        evangelism'';
Whereas, in October 2009, Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian Christian, protested an 
        Iranian law that would impose Islam on his Christian children;
Whereas, in September 2010, a court in Iran accused Youcef Nadarkhani of 
        abandoning the Islamic faith of his ancestors and condemned him to death 
        for apostasy;
Whereas the court sentenced Youcef Nadarkhani to death by hanging;
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, from September 25 to September 28, 2011, a court in Iran 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 Youcef Nadarkhani continues to refuse 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 the situation of human rights 
        in Iran has reported that, at the time of his report, on October 19, 
        2011, the Government of Iran had secretly executed 146 people during 
        that calendar year, and in 2010, the Government of Iran secretly 
        executed more than 300 people: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the Government of Iran for its ongoing and 
        systemic violations of the human rights of the people of Iran, 
        including the state-sponsored persecution of religious 
        minorities in Iran, and its continued failure to uphold its 
        international obligations, including with respect to the 
        Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International 
        Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
            (2) calls for the Government of Iran to exonerate and 
        immediately and unconditionally release Youcef Nadarkhani and 
        all other individuals held or charged on account of their 
        religious or political beliefs;
            (3) calls on the President to designate additional Iranian 
        officials, as appropriate, for human rights abuses pursuant to 
        section 105 of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, 
        Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (22 U.S.C. 8514); 
        and
            (4) reaffirms that freedom of religious belief and practice 
        is a universal human right and a fundamental individual freedom 
        that every government must protect and must never abridge.
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