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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1066 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1066

 Calling for the immediate release of Mahmood Habibi, a United States 
citizen, who was wrongfully detained by the Taliban on August 10, 2022, 
and condemning the wrongful detention of United States citizens by the 
                                Taliban.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 7, 2024

 Ms. Lofgren submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Calling for the immediate release of Mahmood Habibi, a United States 
citizen, who was wrongfully detained by the Taliban on August 10, 2022, 
and condemning the wrongful detention of United States citizens by the 
                                Taliban.

Whereas United States citizen Mahmood Habibi has lived a noble life in service 
        of his home country Afghanistan, by contributing to the aviation needs 
        of the Afghan population;
Whereas Mahmood Habibi hoped to build up Afghanistan and work for the future of 
        Afghans;
Whereas Mahmood Habibi was a dedicated civil aviation engineer who worked for 
        the United States Federal Aviation Administration in Afghanistan and 
        went on to serve as head of Afghanistan's Civil Aviation Authority;
Whereas, in 2019, Mahmood Habibi began pursuing his master's degree at 
        Georgetown University and joined ARX Communications, a Virginia-based 
        telecommunications firm responsible for operating the infrastructure of 
        Afghanistan's civilian airports;
Whereas Mahmood Habibi is known to his family, friends, colleagues, and 
        associates as a loving husband and father, as well as a kind, 
        intelligent man;
Whereas Mahmood Habibi was arrested by the Taliban in August 2022, because the 
        Taliban made an assumption that Mahmood Habibi's employer might have 
        been involved in the United States drone strike in Kabul that killed an 
        Al-Qaeda leader;
Whereas Mahmood Habibi was arrested outside his home in Afghanistan while the 
        Taliban searched his home and took his laptop and paperwork;
Whereas, on August 10, 2022, Mahmood Habibi and 30 of his ARX colleagues were in 
        Afghanistan for business and were detained by the Taliban;
Whereas the Taliban-run General Directorate of Intelligence (``GDI'') 
        interrogated Mahmood Habibi and 30 of his colleagues, eventually 
        releasing 29 of them except Mahmood Habibi and one of his colleagues;
Whereas the Afghanistan's Ministry of Communications have admitted Mahmood 
        Habibi is in the hands of the GDI, but the Taliban continue to refuse to 
        acknowledge that they are holding him captive;
Whereas the Taliban detained Mahmood Habibi and have held him captive without 
        explanation, being charged with a crime, or granting him due process in 
        any judicial proceedings;
Whereas the Taliban have detained Mahmood Habibi without contact with his wife, 
        2-year-old daughter, or any other family member; and
Whereas Mahmood Habibi's family members have struggled mentally, emotionally, 
        and financially since his abduction: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on the Taliban to immediately and unconditionally 
        release Mahmood Habibi and all other United States detainees;
            (2) urges the Taliban to respect Mahmood Habibi's human 
        rights and to provide full, unfettered, and consistent health 
        and safety visits to Mahmood Habibi while in detention;
            (4) urges all United States executive branch officials to 
        continue to raise the case of Mahmood Habibi and to press for 
        his immediate release in all interactions with the Taliban;
            (5) condemns the Taliban's practice of hostage taking and 
        demands that the Taliban stop detaining United States citizens 
        for political gain;
            (6) expresses sympathy for and solidarity with the families 
        of all other citizens and lawful permanent residents of the 
        United States wrongfully detained abroad; and
            (7) expresses support for the family of Mahmood Habibi and 
        a commitment to bringing Mahmood Habibi home.
                                 <all>
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