[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 73 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 73

Supporting democracy, universal rights, and the Iranian people in their 
     peaceful call for a representative and responsive democratic 
                              government.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 17, 2011

  Mr. Kirk (for himself, Mr. Levin, Mr. Kyl, Mr. Casey, Mr. Nelson of 
   Florida, Mr. Graham, and Mrs. Gillibrand) submitted the following 
             resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Supporting democracy, universal rights, and the Iranian people in their 
     peaceful call for a representative and responsive democratic 
                              government.

Whereas, on February 5, 2011, Mir Hossein Moussavi and Mehdi Karroubi requested 
        permission from the Government of Iran to hold a peaceful demonstration 
        on February 14, 2011;
Whereas Moussavi and Karroubi wrote, ``In order to declare support for the 
        popular movements in the region, particularly with those of the freedom 
        seeking movements of the people of Egypt and Tunisia against 
        dictatorships, we request a permit to invite the people for a rally.'';
Whereas the Government of Iran denied this request and, on February 9, 2011, 
        Revolutionary Guard Commander Hossein Hamedani said, ``We definitely see 
        them as enemies of the revolution and spies, and we will confront them 
        with force.'';
Whereas, before the planned protest on February 14, 2011, the Government of Iran 
        placed Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Moussavi under house arrest and 
        interrupted Internet, text message, satellite, and cell phone service 
        inside Iran;
Whereas, on February 14, 2011, the people of Iran held demonstrations protesting 
        the Iranian regime in Tehran, Rasht, Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, 
        Kermanshah, and Ahwaz;
Whereas, on February 15, 2011, members of the parliament of Iran called for the 
        execution of opposition leaders Mir Hossein Moussavi, Mehdi Karroubi, 
        and Mohammad Khatami;
Whereas, on the same day, speaker of the Parliament in Iran Ali Larijani said, 
        ``The parliament condemns the Zionist, American, anti-revolutionary and 
        anti-national actions of the misled seditionists.'';
Whereas, on February 14, 2011, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said, ``What 
        you see happening in Iran today is a testament to the courage of the 
        Iranian people and an indictment of the hypocrisy of the Iranian regime, 
        a regime which over the last three weeks has constantly hailed what went 
        on in Egypt. And now when given the opportunity to afford their people 
        the same rights as they called for on behalf of the Egyptian people, 
        once again, illustrate their true nature.'';
Whereas, on February 15, 2011, President Barack Obama saluted the ``courage'' of 
        the Iranian people and said, ``We are going to continue to see the 
        people of Iran have the courage to be able to express their yearning for 
        greater freedoms and a more representative government.'';
Whereas, on February 15, 2011, European Union High Representative Catherine 
        Ashton called ``on the Iranian authorities to fully respect and protect 
        the rights of their citizens, including freedom of expression and the 
        right to assemble peacefully'';
Whereas, on February 3, 2011, the Senate passed Senate Resolution 44, 112th 
        Congress, reaffirming the commitment of the United States to the 
        universal rights of freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and freedom 
        of access to information, including the Internet, and expressed strong 
        support for the people of Egypt in their peaceful calls for a 
        representative and responsive democratic government that respects these 
        rights; and
Whereas the people of Iran also deserve support from the United States in their 
        peaceful struggle for a representative and responsive democratic 
        government that respects their universal rights of freedom of assembly, 
        freedom of speech, and freedom of association, including via the 
        Internet: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the ongoing violence against demonstrators by 
        the Government of Iran and pro-government militias, as well as 
        the ongoing government suppression of independent electronic 
        communication through interference with the Internet and 
        cellphones;
            (2) reaffirms the commitment of the United States to the 
        universal rights of freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, and 
        freedom of association, including via the Internet;
            (3) expresses strong support for the people of Iran in 
        their peaceful calls for a representative and responsive 
        democratic government that respects these rights;
            (4) calls on the Government of Iran to release all Iranians 
        detained or imprisoned solely on the basis of their religion, 
        faith, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, or 
        political belief;
            (5) calls on the United Nations Human Rights Council to 
        establish an independent human rights monitor for Iran; and
            (6) affirms the universality of individual rights and the 
        importance of democratic and fair elections.
                                 <all>