[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 147 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 147

  Calling for the release of United States citizen Saeed Abedini and 
  condemning the Government of Iran for its persecution of religious 
                              minorities.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 10, 2013

 Mr. Cassidy (for himself, Mr. Labrador, Mr. Waxman, Ms. Bonamici, Mr. 
Franks of Arizona, Mr. Harris, Mr. Meadows, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Aderholt, 
  Mrs. Hartzler, Mr. McHenry, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Garrett, Mr. Jones, Mr. 
 Weber of Texas, Mr. Roskam, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Fincher, Mr. Holt, 
Mr. McGovern, Mr. Buchanan, Mr. Benishek, Mr. Stockman, Mr. Huelskamp, 
 Mr. Cramer, Mr. Hultgren, Mr. Bentivolio, Mr. Pitts, Mr. Bridenstine, 
 Mr. Neugebauer, Mr. Schock, Mr. Latta, Mr. Nunnelee, Mr. Burgess, Mr. 
  King of New York, Mr. Webster of Florida, Mr. Johnson of Ohio, Mr. 
Palazzo, Mr. Scalise, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Olson, Mrs. Lummis, Mr. Mullin, 
 Mr. Long, and Mr. Wolf) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

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                               RESOLUTION


 
  Calling for the release of United States citizen Saeed Abedini and 
  condemning the Government of Iran for its persecution of religious 
                              minorities.

Whereas Saeed Abedini has been sentenced to 8 years in prison in Iran after 
        being tried for his religious beliefs and convicted for undermining the 
        Government of Iran;
Whereas Iran is a member of the United Nations and a signatory of the United 
        Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights;
Whereas Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that 
        ``Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and 
        religion; this right includes 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 the Universal Declaration of Human Rights lists Iran as one of the 
        countries that remains a chronic and systematic violator of religious 
        freedom; and
Whereas in October 2012, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights 
        in Iran has stated that a wide range of human rights violations, 
        including illegal limits on freedom of expression, failures of legal due 
        process, attacks on freedom of religion, and the wrongful imprisonment 
        of children: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the Government of Iran for its persecution of 
        religious minorities, including Saeed Abedini;
            (2) calls on the Government of Iran to release Saeed 
        Abedini to the United States; and
            (3) calls on the United States Government to work 
        aggressively for the quick release of Saeed Abedini by 
        designating additional Iranian officials, as appropriate, for 
        human rights abuses pursuant to section 105 of the 
        Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment 
        Act of 2010.
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