[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 85 (Thursday, June 29, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H5440]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        JEWISH PRISONERS IN IRAN

  (Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I condemn the government of Iran for 
its actions against 13 imprisoned Jews.
  The official crime that these men have been charged with is espionage 
on behalf of the United States and Israel, but their real crime was 
being Jewish in a country that does not tolerate freedom of religion.
  The Iranian mullahs have concocted a ``show trial'' that Joseph 
Stalin would be proud of, void of any evidence or legitimate legal 
proceedings.
  During this scripted play, nine of the accused were coerced into a 
nationally televised confession. This staged trial has been running 
since April without any tangible evidence.
  Kept out of the trial are the families of the accused, the press, 
human rights advocates, and the general public.
  These brave and devout men have been in prison for over a year, 
almost entirely bereft of any kind of legal representation. While this 
masquerade of a trial will soon conclude, these 13 may soon be 
executed. The world will be watching and praying that these courageous 
men will be released.

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