[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 803 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 803

 Condemning the detention and death of Mahsa Amini and calling on the 
      Government of Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 28, 2022

  Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Lankford, Mr. Risch, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. 
 Booker, Mr. Kaine, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Hickenlooper, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. 
   Blumenthal, Mr. Peters, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Durbin, Ms. 
    Rosen, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Brown, Mr. Bennet, Mrs. 
   Gillibrand, Mr. Murphy, Mr. Moran, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cassidy, Mrs. 
Fischer, Mr. Tillis, Mr. Daines, Mr. Braun, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Sullivan, 
Mr. Blunt, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Romney, Mrs. Blackburn, Ms. Ernst, Mr. Cruz, 
   Mr. Cornyn, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cotton, Mr. Graham, and Mr. Markey) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning the detention and death of Mahsa Amini and calling on the 
      Government of Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.

Whereas Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, died in the custody of the 
        Morality Police of Iran after being detained for purportedly wearing a 
        hijab ``improperly'';
Whereas the Morality Police of Iran, an element of the Law Enforcement Forces of 
        Iran, continually suppress Iranian women's right to freedom of 
        expression and opinion, including restrictions on women's clothing such 
        as compulsory wearing of the hijab;
Whereas the protests over the death of Ms. Amini are the largest in Iran since 
        2019 and have spread throughout the capital of Iran, all of the 31 
        provinces of Iran, and at least 80 other cities and towns nationwide;
Whereas the Government of Iran has instituted a violent crackdown against 
        peaceful protesters following the death of Ms. Amini, resulting in the 
        injury and detention of hundreds of protesters and the deaths of at 
        least 41 people as of September 26, 2022;
Whereas, to prevent protests from spreading, the biggest telecommunications 
        operator in Iran largely shut down mobile internet access--the most 
        severe internet restriction in the country since 2019;
Whereas the Government of Iran consistently engages in a range of human rights 
        abuses in addition to its systematic persecution of women and peaceful 
        protesters, including--

    (1) unlawful or arbitrary killings;

    (2) trials without due process;

    (3) forced disappearances;

    (4) torture;

    (5) arbitrary arrest and detention;

    (6) harsh and life-threatening prison conditions;

    (7) transnational attacks against dissidents;

    (8) severe restrictions on free expression and the media;

    (9) substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and 
freedom of association;

    (10) severe restrictions on religious freedom; and

    (11) restrictions on the ability of citizens to change their government 
peacefully through free and fair elections;

Whereas the Government of Iran is ranked as one of the worst human rights 
        violators in the world, having received a 14 out of 100 ``Global Freedom 
        Score'' and a 16 out of 100 ``Internet Freedom Score'' from Freedom 
        House;
Whereas Iran has been designated as a ``country of particular concern'' by the 
        Department of State for its suppression of religious freedom every year 
        since 1999; and
Whereas improvements in the human rights of women, freedom of expression, and 
        other human rights are fundamental to strengthening the accountability 
        of the Government of Iran to its citizens: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) condemns the detention and death of Mahsa Amini;
            (2) recognizes the bravery and right of the Iranian people 
        protesting the death of Ms. Amini, including many Iranian 
        women;
            (3) calls on the Government of Iran to end its systemic 
        persecution of women;
            (4) calls on the Government of Iran to allow peaceful 
        protest and free elections;
            (5) supports human rights, including the human rights of 
        women in Iran; and
            (6) supports holding all human rights violators in Iran to 
        account.
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