[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 47 (Thursday, April 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E566]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        FREEDOM FOR IRANIAN JEWS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENJAMIN A. GILMAN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 13, 2000

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform my colleagues of a 
resolution I am introducing today on behalf of the thirteen Iranian 
Jews now in custody on trumped up charges in Iran. In addition to the 
gentleman from California, Mr. Sherman, I am pleased that our 
distinguished Speaker, the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. Hastert, is an 
original cosponsor of this measure, as well as the Ranking Minority 
Member on our House International Relations Committee, the gentleman 
from Connecticut, Mr. Gejdenson.
  Between January and March 1999, thirteen Jews were arrested in Iran 
and charged with spying for Israel and the United States. This is an 
outrageous charge that is without merit, having been denied by both our 
government and the State of Israel.
  No evidence has been brought forth to substantiate these arrests, and 
no formal charges have been lodged after more than a year of 
consideration. Yet these thirteen individuals continue to face serious 
charges, and their trial was scheduled to begin on April 13th.
  Secretary of State Albright has identified this case as ``one of the 
barometers of U.S.-Iran relations'', and countless nations have 
expressed their concern for these individuals, especially their human 
rights under the rule of law.
  This resolution insists that Iran mush show signs of respecting human 
rights as a prerequisite for improving its relationship with the United 
States; and therefore urges the Clinton Administration to condemn the 
arrest and continued prosecution of these thirteen people; demand that 
the fabricated charges be dropped and the men immediately released; and 
ensure that Iran's treatment of this case is a benchmark for 
determining the nature of current and future United States-Iran 
relations.
  Accordingly, I urge our colleagues to support this resolution, whose 
text is printed below, since it sends a clear message to the government 
in Teheran that we will not countenance, nor will we remain silent, in 
the face of arrests of innocent individuals on trumped up charges.

                            H. Con. Res. 307

       Whereas on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Passover in 
     1999, 13 Jews, including community and religious leaders in 
     the cities of Shiraz and Isfahan, were arrested by the 
     authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and accused of 
     spying for the United States and Israel;
       Whereas no evidence has been brought forth to substantiate 
     these arrests, and no formal charges have been lodged after 
     more than a year of consideration;
       Whereas the Secretary of State has identified the case of 
     the 13 Jews in Shiraz as ``one of the barometers of U.S.-Iran 
     relations'';
       Whereas countless nations have expressed their concern for 
     these individuals and especially their human rights under the 
     rule of law;
       Whereas Iran must show signs of respecting human rights as 
     a prerequisite for improving its relationship with the United 
     States; and
       Whereas President Khatami was elected on a platform of 
     moderation and reform: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the 
     Clinton Administration should--
       (1) condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the arrest 
     and continued prosecution of the 13 Iranian Jews;
       (2) demand that these fabricated charges be dropped 
     immediately and individuals released forthwith; and
       (3) ensure that Iran's treatment of this case is a 
     benchmark for determining the nature of current and future 
     United States-Iran relations.

     

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