IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 676 
Supporting the rights of the people of Iran to free expression, condemning 
the Iranian regime for its crackdown on legitimate protests, and for 
other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 5, 2018 
Mr. ROYCE of California (for himself and Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following 
resolution 
JANUARY 8, 2018 
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Supporting the rights of the people of Iran to free expression, 
condemning the Iranian regime for its crackdown on 
legitimate protests, and for other purposes. 
Whereas, on December 28, 2017, popular protests against 
the Iranian regime began in the city of Mashad and rap-
idly spread throughout the country, in the most signifi-
cant anti-government protests in Iran since June 2009; 
Whereas the protesters have expressed numerous economic 
grievances, including the regime’s widespread corruption 
and the Revolutionary Guard Corps’ control of the coun-
try’s economy; 
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Whereas protesters have decried the regime’s costly, desta-
bilizing activities abroad, including its support for ter-
rorist groups such as Hezbollah and the murderous 
Assad regime in Syria; 
Whereas reports indicate that more than 1,000 Iranians have 
been arrested and almost two dozen killed in connection 
with the protests; 
Whereas the Iranian regime has shut down mobile internet 
access and has blocked and pressured companies to cut 
off social media applications used by activists to organize 
and publicize the protests; 
Whereas Congress has provided authority to license the provi-
sion of communications technology to Iran to improve the 
ability of the Iranian people to speak freely; 
Whereas, on January 1, 2018, regime officials threatened to 
crack down, with Brigadier General Esmaeil Kowsari of 
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps stating, ‘‘If this situa-
tion continues, the officials will definitely make some de-
cisions and at that point this business will be finished.’’; 
Whereas Congress has provided authority to designate and 
sanction elements of the Iranian regime involved in sig-
nificant corruption and serious human rights abuses; 
Whereas Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and its Basij mi-
litia have been sanctioned by the United States for plan-
ning and carrying out serious human rights abuses 
against the Iranian people, including for the cruel and 
prolonged torture of political dissidents; 
Whereas the regime has routinely violated the human rights 
of Iranian citizens, including ongoing, systematic, and se-
rious restrictions of freedom of peaceful assembly and as-
sociation and freedom of opinion and expression, includ-
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ing the continuing closures of media outlets, arrests of 
journalists, and the censorship of expression in online fo-
rums such as blogs and websites; 
Whereas the Department of State’s 2016 Human Rights Re-
port on Iran noted ‘‘severe restrictions on civil liberties, 
including the freedoms of assembly, association, speech, 
religion, and press. Other human rights problems in-
cluded abuse of due process combined with use of capital 
punishment for crimes that do not meet the requirements 
of due process, as well as cruel, inhuman, or degrading 
treatment or punishment; and disregard for the physical 
integrity of persons, whom authorities arbitrarily and un-
lawfully detained, tortured, or killed.’’; 
Whereas, on December 29, 2017, the Department of State 
strongly condemned the arrest of peaceful protesters and 
noted that ‘‘Iran’s leaders have turned a wealthy country 
with a rich history and culture into an economically de-
pleted rogue state whose chief exports are violence, blood-
shed, and chaos.’’; 
Whereas, on January 1, 2018, the Secretary of State for For-
eign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom, 
Boris Johnson, stated that ‘‘The UK is watching events 
in Iran closely. We believe that there should be meaning-
ful debate about the legitimate and important issues the 
protesters are raising and we look to the Iranian authori-
ties to permit this.’’; 
Whereas, on January 2, 2018, the French Foreign Ministry 
stated that ‘‘French authorities are closely monitoring 
the situation in Iran. Demonstrating freely is a funda-
mental right. The same is true for the free movement of 
information. France expresses its concern over the large 
number of victims and arrests.’’; 
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Whereas, on January 1, 2018, a spokesman for the Canadian 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that ‘‘We call on the 
Iranian authorities to uphold and respect democratic and 
human rights’’ and ‘‘We are encouraged by the Iranian 
people who are bravely exercising their basic right to pro-
test peacefully. Canada will continue to support the fun-
damental rights of the Iranians, including freedom of ex-
pression.’’; 
Whereas Iran is a member of the United Nations, voted for 
the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and is a sig-
natory to the International Covenant on Civil and Polit-
ical Rights, among other international human rights trea-
ties; and 
Whereas, in violation of these and other international obliga-
tions, Iranian regime officials continue to violate the fun-
damental human rights of the Iranian people: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) stands with the people of Iran that are en-
gaged in legitimate and peaceful protests against an 
oppressive, corrupt regime; 
(2) condemns the Iranian regime’s serious 
human rights abuses against the Iranian people, sig-
nificant corruption, and destabilizing activities 
abroad; 
(3) notes the statements of support for the 
protestors from key allies and calls on all democratic 
governments and institutions to clearly support the 
Iranian people’s right to live in a free society; 
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(4) demands that the Iranian regime abide by 
its international obligations with respect to human 
rights and civil liberties, including freedoms of as-
sembly, speech, and press; 
(5) urges the Administration to use targeted 
sanctions and work to convene emergency sessions of 
the United Nations Security Council and the United 
Nations Human Rights Council to condemn the on-
going human rights violations perpetrated by the 
Iranian regime and establish a mechanism by which 
the Security Council can monitor such violations; 
(6) encourages the Administration to expedite 
the license of communications technology to Iran to 
improve the ability of the Iranian people to speak 
freely; 
(7) calls on companies to reject requests by the 
regime to cut off the Iranian people from social 
media and other communications platforms; 
(8) respects the proud history and rich culture 
of the Iranian nation and fully supports efforts by 
the people of Iran to promote the establishment of 
basic freedoms that build the foundation for the 
emergence of a freely elected, open, and democratic 
political system; and 
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(9) urges the President and the Secretary of 
State to work with the international community to 
ensure that violations of human rights are part of all 
formal and informal multilateral or bilateral discus-
sions with and regarding Iran. 
Æ 
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