congressional_record: CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7500
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| granule_id | date | congress | session | volume | issue | title | chamber | granule_class | sub_granule_class | page_start | page_end | speakers | bills | citation | full_text |
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| CREC-2012-12-31-pt1-PgH7500 | 2012-12-31 | 112 | 2 | CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF BAHA'I MINORITY | HOUSE | HOUSE | ALLOTHER | H7500 | H7503 | [{"name": "Ileana Ros-Lehtinen", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "Eliot L. Engel", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "Robert J. Dold", "role": "speaking"}, {"name": "Chris Van Hollen", "role": "speaking"}] | [{"congress": "112", "type": "HRES", "number": "134"}, {"congress": "112", "type": "HRES", "number": "134"}, {"congress": "112", "type": "HRES", "number": "134"}] | 158 Cong. Rec. H7500 | Congressional Record, Volume 158 Issue 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012) [Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 171 (Monday, December 31, 2012)] [House] [Pages H7500-H7503] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] {time} 1220 CONDEMNING IRAN FOR PERSECUTION OF BAHA'I MINORITY Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 134) condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the resolution. The text of the resolution is as follows: H. Res. 134 Whereas, in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2006, 2008, and 2009, Congress declared that it deplored the religious persecution by the Government of Iran of the Baha'i community and would hold the Government of Iran responsible for upholding the rights of all Iranian nationals, including members of the Baha'i faith; Whereas the Department of State 2011 International Religious Freedom Report stated that the Government of Iran ``prohibits Baha'is from teaching and practicing their faith and subjects them to many forms of discrimination that followers of other religions do not face'' and that ``Baha'is are barred from all leadership positions in the government and military''; Whereas the Department of State 2011 International Religious Freedom Report stated, ``Baha'is are banned from the social pension system. In addition, Baha'is are regularly denied compensation for injury or criminal victimization and the right to inherit property. Baha'i marriages and divorces are not officially recognized, although the government allows a civil attestation of marriage to serve as a marriage certificate.''; Whereas the Department of State July-December 2010 International Religious Freedom Report stated, ``Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the government has killed more than 200 Bahai's and regularly raids and confiscates their property . . . Unknown assailants vandalized cemeteries and holy places, and school authorities denigrated and abused Baha'i students in primary and secondary schools in at least 10 cities.''; Whereas the Department of State July-December 2010 International Religious Freedom Report stated, ``Public and private universities continued to deny admittance to or expel Baha'i students.''; Whereas on September 15, 2011, the United Nations Secretary-General issued a special report on human rights in Iran (A/66/361), stating, ``Restrictions on the overall enjoyment of human rights by unrecognized religious minorities, particularly the Baha'i community, remain of serious concern.''; Whereas on September 23, 2011, the ``United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran'', issued a report (A/66/374), noting that ``[a] number of individuals and organizations provided the Special Rapporteur with first-hand testimonies, the preponderance of which presents a pattern of systemic violations of . . . fundamental human rights'' in Iran, and expressed concern regarding reports of ``human and civil rights violations'' against minority groups, including ``the Bahai community, which, despite being the largest non-Muslim religious minority, does not enjoy recognition as such by the Government'' and whose members ``have historically suffered multifaceted discrimination''; Whereas on November 21, 2011, the Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly adopted a draft resolution (A/C.3/66/L.56) noting ``[i]ncreased persecution and human rights violations against unrecognized religious minorities, particularly members of the Baha'i Faith, including escalating attacks on Baha'is and their defenders, including in State-sponsored media, a significant increase in the number of Baha'is arrested and detained, including the targeted attack on the Baha'i educational institution, the reinstatement of twenty-year sentences against seven Baha'i leaders following deeply flawed legal proceedings, and renewed measures to deny Baha'is employment in the public and private sectors.''; Whereas on December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/66/175) calling upon the Government of Iran ``[t]o eliminate discrimination against, and exclusion of . . . members of the Baha'i Faith, regarding access to higher education, and to eliminate the criminalization of efforts to provide higher education to Baha'i youth denied access to Iranian universities''; Whereas in March and May of 2008, intelligence officials of the Government of Iran in Mashhad and Tehran arrested and imprisoned Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm, the members of the ad hoc leadership group for the Baha'i community in Iran; [[Page H7501]] Whereas, in August 2010, the Revolutionary Court in Tehran sentenced the 7 Baha'i leaders to 20-year prison terms on charges of spying for Israel, insulting religious sanctities, and propaganda against the regime; Whereas the lawyers for the 7 leaders were reportedly provided extremely limited access to the prisoners and their files; Whereas these 7 Baha'i leaders were targeted solely on the basis of their religion; Whereas beginning on May 22, 2011, officials of the Government of Iran in Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, and Shiraz raided the homes of individuals associated with the Baha'i Institute for Higher Education, searching over 30 homes, seizing educational materials, and arresting approximately 16 individuals; Whereas, in October 2011, Mr. Vahid Mahmoudi, Mr. Mahmoud Badavam, Ms. Noushin Khadem, Mr. Kamran Mortezaie, Mr. Farhad Sedghi, Mr. Riaz Sobhani, and Mr. Ramin Zibaie were each sentenced to 4 or 5-year prison terms for the crime of ``membership in the deviant Baha'i sect, with the goal of taking action against the security of the country, in order to further the aims of the deviant sect and those of organizations outside the country,'' and, in January 2012, Mr. Mahmoudi was released on probation; Whereas ordinary Iranian citizens who belong to the Baha'i Faith are disproportionately targeted, interrogated, and detained under the pretext of national security; Whereas the efforts of the Government of Iran to collect information on individual Baha'is are reportedly ongoing as evidenced by a letter, dated November 5, 2011 from the Director of the Department of Education in the county of Shahriar in the province of Tehran, instructing the directors of schools in his jurisdiction to ``subtly and in a confidential manner'' collect information on Baha'i students; Whereas the Baha'i community continues to undergo intense economic and social pressure, including an ongoing campaign in the town of Semnan where the government reportedly has harassed and detained Baha'is and closed 17 Baha'i owned businesses in the last three years; Whereas the Government of Iran is party to the International Covenants on Human Rights; and Whereas the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (Public Law 111-195) urges the President and the Secretary of State to impose sanctions on ``the officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals who are responsible for continuing and severe violations of human rights and religious freedom in Iran'': Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) condemns the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights; (2) calls on the Government of Iran to immediately release the seven leaders, the six imprisoned educators, and all other prisoners held solely on account of their religion; (3) calls on the President and Secretary of State, in cooperation with responsible nations, to immediately condemn the Government of Iran's continued violation of human rights and demand the immediate release of prisoners held solely on account of their religion; and (4) urges the President and Secretary of State to utilize measures, such as those available under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 and Executive Order 13553, to sanction officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations in Iran, including against the Baha'i community. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each will control 20 minutes. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Florida. General Leave Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material into the Record on this measure. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from Florida? There was no objection. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 134 introduced by my good friend and colleague from Illinois (Mr. Dold). House Resolution 134 condemns the Iranian regime's persecution of Iran's Baha'i minority. Baha'is are the largest non-Muslim minority in Iran, numbering over 300,000 members in Iran alone. This resolution marks the 12th congressional action urging the Iranian regime to end its persecution of the Baha'i minority. And still, Baha'is do not have the freedom to practice their religion. In fact, restrictions on Baha'is extend far beyond their religious practices to further restrict their civil rights and human rights. Many members of the Baha'i faith living in Iran are even subject to harassment, to persecution by the regime, and others with extensive reports of confiscation of property, restrictions on travel, and raids on Baha'i homes and businesses. The Iranian Government continues to arrest and detain Baha'is based on their religious beliefs, with at least 60 cases logged last year alone. The members of the national leadership of the Baha'i in Iran, arrested in 2008 and unfairly tried with minimal access to their defense attorneys, are now serving a 20-year sentence for crimes, crimes including insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the regime. The government maintains possession of many Baha'i properties that were seized following the 1979 revolution, including holy places, cemeteries, and historical sites. Many of those properties have now been destroyed. Baha'is are barred from leadership positions in the government and are only permitted to enroll in schools if they do not identify themselves to be Baha'i and are required to identify as members of another religion in order to register for their entrance examinations. Many Baha'is are denied admission to the universities, and even those who are admitted may face expulsion due to their faith. The Baha'i Institute for Higher Education, established after Baha'is were barred from attending other universities, was declared illegal this year and six educators from that institute are currently imprisoned in Iran. These are just a fraction of the injustices that the Baha'is face at the hands of the Iranian regime. The regime has sought to make life as a Baha'i in Iran simply unlivable. They seek to take away aspects of everyday life that you and I would consider fundamental, inalienable rights. This resolution draws attention to their plight and calls on the Iranian regime to end its campaign of abuse against the Baha'is. It condemns the Iranian regime for the persecution of the Baha'is and calls on the regime to immediately release the Baha'is that it wrongfully holds in captivity, including the seven Baha'i leaders and the six Baha'i educators; and it calls for the President and the Secretary to publicly express the same sentiments. Finally, the resolution urges the President and the Secretary of State to use measures already enacted into law under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 to sanction Iranian officials responsible for human rights violations against Baha'is and others. Mr. Speaker, I was a co-author of that legislation, and those measures are not here for show. They are there to punish those responsible for these egregious crimes and deter future human rights violations. It is therefore time for the administration to walk the walk and hold the Iranian regime officials--from the so-called ``supreme leader'' and Ahmadinejad on down--responsible for their violations of the human rights of the Baha'is and other Iranians. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 134, as amended; and I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, before I get into the substance of the bill, I just want to say a couple of things as we're ending the 112th Congress. In the 113th Congress, I'm about to take over as ranking member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. The man I'm replacing, who spoke before me, the gentleman from California (Mr. Berman), I just want him to know, which he already does, but I want to say it for the record how much we're going to miss him and what a role model he really is for all of us on the committee, first as chair and then as ranking member. There isn't a person on either side of the aisle who doesn't respect him. There isn't a person who doesn't understand how important he's been to the Congress the many years he has served in Congress, and particularly on the Foreign Affairs Committee. His shoes are going to be very hard to fill. I'm going to try the best I can, but I want him to know, which he already does, but I want to say it for the record that I'm going to [[Page H7502]] miss him. I'm going to miss him as a friend, and I'm going to miss him as a colleague; and I think the Congress as a whole will miss him because he's one of the best, and I wish him only the very, very best as he moves on to a future endeavor. Let me also say the gentlewoman from Florida, the current chair of the committee and former ranking member of the committee, she knows the affection I have for her both personally as a friend but also as a colleague, as chair of the committee for the past 2 years and as ranking member for the previous 4. She and I have worked together not only in these past 6 years but for all of the years we've been in Congress, and I think we've been in Congress for almost the exact same time. It's been a pleasure and an honor to work with her, and I continue to look forward to collaborating with her on all these issues of importance to us--we agree on many, many, many things--in the 113th Congress. Madam Chair, I just want to tell you how much we appreciate you on both sides of the aisle. So let me talk about the bill. I think it's important. I agree with everything the chairwoman said. While the international community is rightfully concerned about Iran's ties to international terrorism and its nuclear weapons program, we cannot forget those who struggle for religious freedom and democracy in Iran. The Baha'i community has long been the target of religious persecution by the Iranian regime. Much of its informal leadership has been arrested, and many members of the community executed. The Baha'i are not permitted to practice their religion and culture. Their marriages are not recognized. Their dead cannot be buried according to Baha'i law, and their cemeteries are desecrated. In addition, the Baha'i are denied government jobs and business licenses. They are not permitted to enroll in public universities, and Baha'i schoolchildren are frequently harassed by classmates, teachers, and administrators. No human being deserves this type of treatment at the hands of their government. The social teachings of the Baha'i faith, such as the equality of women and men and the principle of each individual's responsibility to navigate the truth, are impossible for the theocratic leaders of Iran to comprehend. But these are universal values--human values--and they must be protected. Mr. Speaker, the United States and the international community must not ignore the systematic and violent attacks against the Iranian Baha'i community, and Tehran must be held accountable. By passing this resolution, we shine a light on the persecution of the Baha'i and hopefully move us one step closer to the day that true freedom reaches Iran. I encourage all of my colleagues to support H. Res. 134, and I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from New York for those kind words. Mr. Engel is a true mensch. That's a good thing. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Dold), a member of the Financial Services Committee, the Tom Lantos Congressional Human Rights Committee, and the author of this measure, whom we will miss greatly. Mr. DOLD. Mr. Speaker, I certainly want to thank the chairwoman for her leadership and for her friendship and her work on human rights abuses. I certainly want to thank the ranking member and my friend from New York as well. Mr. Speaker, I've talked at length in this Chamber about the human rights abuses taking place inside the country of Iran. In response to this Iranian regime's oppressive rule, we have worked to promote democracy and human rights through a variety of legislative tools, and we have championed measures like the Lautenberg amendment to offer a lifeline to those individuals who seek nothing more than the freedom they cannot find in their home country. {time} 1230 Today I'm proud to stand here with my colleagues and encourage others to support House Resolution 134, officially condemning the Government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i religious minority and for the continued violation of human rights. It's time for these continued violations of human rights to be fully exposed and to receive increased international attention. The Baha'i population is Iran's largest non-Muslim religious minority. Over 300,000 Iranians consider themselves part of the Baha'i faith, yet since the Islamic revolution of Iran of 1979, members of the Baha'i faith in Iran have faced intense suppression solely because of their religious beliefs. Baha'is are unrecognized under the Iranian Constitution, and over 200 Baha'is have been killed in Iran since the revolution. Additionally, Baha'is are wrongfully imprisoned and discriminated against throughout the country. Baha'is are barred from universities, banned from government employment, and excluded from the social pension system unless they deny their religious affiliation. Their marriages are not recognized; their property is confiscated; their holy places and cemeteries have been desecrated. The situation has worsened considerably, Mr. Speaker, in the last year as the number of Baha'is in prison has roughly doubled, and there have been raids on the Baha'i Institution of Higher Education, an alternative education system that the Baha'i community developed to educate Baha'i youth who are excluded from the state's university system. House Resolution 134 condemns the state-sponsored persecution performed by the Iranian Government and calls on it to release the seven imprisoned Baha'i leaders, six imprisoned educators, and all other prisoners held solely on account of their religious beliefs. Additionally, the resolution calls on the President and the Secretary of State to condemn the Iranian Government's continued violation of human rights. Finally, the resolution urges the President and the Secretary of State to utilize available measures to sanction officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations, including against the Baha'i community. Mr. Speaker, in recognition of the importance of this issue, this resolution currently enjoys over 146 bipartisan cosponsors. On behalf of all those who are concerned about human rights abuses, and on behalf of the Baha'i community in the Tenth District of Illinois, which is home to the Baha'i Temple of North America--the beautiful temple in Wilmette is one of only seven, Mr. Speaker, throughout the world--I'd like to encourage my colleagues, my friends to vote in support of H. Res. 134's passage. I thank you, and I thank, again, the chairwoman for her leadership. Mr. ENGEL. I have no further speakers, so I yield back the balance of my time. Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise as a cosponsor of H. Res 134, a resolution condemning the Government of Iran for the state-sponsored persecution of its Baha'i minority and to thank Representatives Dold, Lipinski and Sherman for their collaboration on this important measure. Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the Government of Iran has continued to repress Baha'is and prevent them from participating in the government and the military, from joining the social pension system or attending public schools and universities unless they concealed their faith. This resolution calls on the President and Secretary of State, in cooperation with the international community, to immediately condemn the Government of Iran's violation of the human rights of the Baha'i and urges the President and Secretary of State to utilize all available measures, including sanctions on officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations against the Baha'i community and other minorities. The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 134, as amended. The question was taken. The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds being in the affirmative, the ayes have it. Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I object to the vote on the ground that a quorum [[Page H7503]] is not present and make the point of order that a quorum is not present. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further proceedings on this question will be postponed. The point of no quorum is considered withdrawn. ____________________ |