[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 33 (Thursday, February 28, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     BIPARTISAN RESOLUTION CONDEMNING IRAN'S PERSECUTION OF BAHA'IS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MARK STEVEN KIRK

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, February 28, 2008

  Mr. KIRK. Madam Speaker, today, along with my colleague Rob Andrews, 
I am introducing a bipartisan resolution to condemn Iran's continued 
persecution of its Baha'i minority.
  In 2006, Iran's Armed Forces Command Headquarters ordered the 
Ministry of Information, the Revolutionary Guard, and the Police Force 
to identify members of the Baha'i Faith in Iran and monitor their 
activities.
  In that same year, we saw the largest roundup of Baha'is since the 
1980s. The Iranian Interior Ministry ordered provincial officials to 
``cautiously and carefully monitor and manage'' all Baha'i social 
activities. The Central Security Office of Iran's Ministry of Science, 
Research and Technology ordered 81 Iranian universities to expel any 
student discovered to be a Baha'i.
  In 2007, the situation worsened. More than two-thirds of the Baha'is 
enrolled in universities were expelled once identified as Baha'is. 
Police entered Baha'i homes and businesses to collect details on family 
members.
  Twenty-five industries were ordered to deny licenses to Baha'is. 
Employers were pressured to fire Baha'i employees and banks were 
instructed to refuse loans to Baha'i-owned businesses. Baha'i 
cemeteries were destroyed.
  In November 2007, three Baha'i youths were detained for educating 
underprivileged children. The following month, the Iranian Parliament 
published a draft Islamic penal code, requiring the death penalty for 
all ``apostates''--a term applied to Baha'is and any convert away from 
Islam.
  This government-sponsored persecution must end. The world cannot be 
silent as Iran prepares to ethnically cleanse its Baha'i minority.
  I urge my colleagues to join us in cosponsoring this bipartisan 
resolution condemning Iran's persecution of the Baha'is, calling for 
the immediate release of three Baha'i youths and calling on Iran to 
reject a recent draft Islamic penal code requiring the death penalty 
for all ``apostates.''

                          ____________________