[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 80 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 80

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 1, 2011

     Mr. Kirk (for himself and Mr. Durbin) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


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

Whereas, in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2008, and 
        2009, 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 the 2010 Department of State International Religious Freedom Report 
        stated, ``Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, more than 200 Baha'is have 
        been killed, and many have faced regular raids and confiscation of 
        property.'';
Whereas the 2009 Department of State Human Rights Report stated, ``The 
        government [of Iran] continued to repress Baha'is and prevent them from 
        meeting in homes to worship. It banned them from government and military 
        leadership posts, the social pension system, and public schools and 
        universities unless they concealed their faith.'';
Whereas, on October 15, 2010, the United Nations Secretary-General issued a 
        special report on human rights in Iran, stating that ``the Baha'i, who 
        comprise the country's largest non-Muslim religious minority, face 
        multiple forms of discrimination and harassment, including denial of 
        employment, Government benefits and access to higher education'';
Whereas, on December 21, 2010, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a 
        resolution (A/RES/65/226) noting ``serious ongoing and recurring human 
        rights violations'' in Iran, including against the Baha'i community;
Whereas, in November 2007, the Ministry of Information of Iran in Shiraz jailed 
        Baha'is Ms. Raha Sabet, 33, Mr. Sasan Taqva, 32, and Ms. Haleh Roohi, 
        29, for educating underprivileged children, and gave them 4-year prison 
        terms;
Whereas Ms. Sabet remains imprisoned in Iran;
Whereas Ms. Sabet, Mr. Taqva, and Ms. Roohi were targeted solely on the basis of 
        their religion;
Whereas, in March and May of 2008, intelligence officials of the Government of 
        Iran 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, in August 2010, the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced the 7 
        Baha'i leaders to 20-year prison terms on charges of ``spying for 
        Israel, insulting religious sanctities, propaganda against the regime 
        and spreading corruption on earth'';
Whereas the lawyer for these 7 leaders, Mrs. Shirin Ebadi, the Nobel Laureate, 
        has been denied all access to the prisoners and their files;
Whereas these 7 Baha'i leaders were targeted solely on the basis of their 
        religion;
Whereas, in February 2011, the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced human 
        rights activist and follower of the Baha'i faith, Navid Khanjani, to a 
        12-year prison term on charges of ``propaganda against the regime by 
        publishing news, reports, and interviews with foreign TV and radio,'' 
        among others;
Whereas the Government of Iran is party to the International Covenants on Human 
        Rights; and
Whereas the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 
        2010 (Public Law 111-195) authorizes the President and the Secretary of 
        State to impose sanctions on ``the officials of the Government of Iran 
        and other individuals who are responsible for continuing and severe 
        violations of human rights and religious freedom in Iran'': Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored 
        persecution of its Baha'i minority 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, and Mr. Navid Khanjani;
            (3) calls on the President and Secretary of State, in 
        cooperation with the international community, 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, and Mr. Navid Khanjani; and
            (4) urges the President and Secretary of State to utilize 
        all available measures, such as those available under the 
        Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment 
        Act of 2010 and Executive Order 13553, to sanction officials of 
        the Government of Iran and other individuals directly 
        responsible for egregious human rights violations in Iran, 
        including against the Baha'i community.
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