IV
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 124
Concerning the emancipation of the Iranian Baha’i community.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 21, 1993
Mr. PORTER (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. HAMILTON, Mr. GILMAN, Mr.
HOYER, Mr. HYDE, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. GEJD-
ENSON, Mr. MCNULTY, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. SWETT, Ms.
SLAUGHTER, Mr. KOPETSKI, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr.
SERRANO, Mr. HUGHES, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. MACHTLEY, Mr. WAXMAN, Ms.
ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. DELLUMS, Mr. BROWN
of California, Mrs.
MORELLA, Mr. FROST, Mr. BARCA of Wisconsin, Mr. SABO, Mr.
DEUTSCH, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. FISH, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr.
SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. HALL of Ohio, Mrs. UNSOELD, Mr. SCHUMER,
Mr. SPRATT, Mr. LEACH, Mr. MYERS of Indiana, Mr. FINGERHUT, Mr.
HASTINGS, and Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following concurrent resolu-
tion; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Concerning the emancipation of the Iranian Baha’i
community.
Whereas in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, and 1992, the Congress,
by concurrent resolution, declared that it holds the Gov-
ernment of Iran responsible for upholding the rights of
all its nationals, including members of the Baha’i Faith,
Iran’s largest religious minority;
Whereas in such resolutions and in numerous other appeals,
the Congress condemned the Government of Iran’s reli-
•HCON 124 IH
gious persecution of the Baha’i community, including the
execution of more than 200 Baha’is, the imprisonment of
additional thousands, and other repressive and discrimi-
natory actions against Baha’is based solely upon their re-
ligious beliefs;
Whereas in 1992, the Government of Iran summarily exe-
cuted a leading member of the Baha’i community, ar-
rested and imprisoned several other Baha’is, condemned
two Baha’i prisoners to death on account of their reli-
gion, and confiscated individual Baha’is’ homes and per-
sonal properties in several cities;
Whereas the Government of Iran continues to deny the
Baha’i community the right to organize, to elect its lead-
ers, to hold community property for worship or assembly,
to operate religious schools and to conduct other normal
religious community activities; and
Whereas on February 22, 1993, the United Nations Commis-
sion on Human Rights published a formerly confidential
Iranian government document that constitutes a blue-
print for the destruction of the Baha’i community and re-
veals that these repressive actions are the result of a de-
liberate policy designed and approved by the highest offi-
cials of the Government of Iran: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) continues to hold the Government of Iran
responsible for upholding the rights of all its nation-
als, including members of the Baha’i community, in
a manner consistent with Iran’s obligations under
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and
•HCON 124 IH
other international agreements guaranteeing the civil
and political rights of its citizens;
(2) condemns the repressive anti-Baha’i policy
adopted by the Government of Iran, as set forth in
a confidential official document which explicitly
states that Baha’is shall be denied access to edu-
cation and employment, and that the government’s
policy is to deal with Baha’is ‘‘in such a way that
their progress and development are blocked’’;
(3) expresses concern that individual Baha’is
continue to suffer from severely repressive and dis-
criminatory government actions, solely on account of
their religion, and that the Baha’i community con-
tinues to be denied legal recognition and the basic
rights to organize, elect its leaders, educate its
youth, and conduct the normal activities of a law-
abiding religious community;
(4) urges the Government of Iran to extend to
the Baha’i community the rights guaranteed by the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the
international covenants of human rights, including
the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and
equal protection of the law; and
(5) calls upon the President to continue—
•HCON 124 IH
(A) to emphasize that the United States
regards the human rights practices of the Gov-
ernment of Iran, particularly its treatment of
the Baha’i community and other religious mi-
norities, as a significant factor in the develop-
ment of the United States Government’s rela-
tions with the Government of Iran;
(B) to urge the Government of Iran to
emancipate the Baha’i community by granting
those rights guaranteed by the Universal Dec-
laration of Human Rights and the international
covenants on human rights; and
(C) to encourage other governments to
continue to appeal to the Government of Iran,
and to cooperate with other governments and
international organizations, including the Unit-
ed Nations and its agencies, in efforts to pro-
tect the religious rights of the Baha’is and
other minorities through joint appeals to the
Government of Iran and through other appro-
priate actions.
Æ