H. Res. 556 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
March 1, 2012. 
Whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human 
Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Polit-
ical Rights recognize that every individual has ‘‘the right 
to freedom of thought, conscience and religion’’, which in-
cludes the ‘‘freedom to change his religion or belief, and 
freedom, either alone or in community with others and in 
public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in 
teaching, practice, worship and observance’’; 
Whereas Iran is a member of the United Nations and signa-
tory to both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 
and the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
Rights; 
Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situa-
tion of human rights in Iran has reported that religious 
minorities, including Nematullahi Sufi Muslims, Sunnis, 
Baha’is, and Christians, face human rights violations in 
Iran; 
Whereas in recent years, there has been a significant increase 
in the number of incidents of Iranian authorities raiding 
religious services, detaining worshippers and religious 
leaders, and harassing and threatening members of reli-
gious minorities;
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Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situa-
tion of human rights in Iran has reported that Iranian 
intelligence officials are known to threaten Christian con-
verts with arrest and apostasy charges if they do not re-
turn to Islam; 
Whereas the Department of State’s most recent report on 
International Religious Freedom, released on September 
13, 2011, states that Iran’s ‘‘laws and policies severely 
restrict freedom of religion,’’ and notes ‘‘government im-
prisonment, harassment, intimidation, and discrimination 
based on religious beliefs’’ including ‘‘death sentences for 
apostasy or evangelism’’; 
Whereas in October 2009, Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian 
Christian, protested an Iranian law that would impose 
Islam on his Christian children; 
Whereas in September 2010, an Iranian court accused 
Youcef Nadarkhani of abandoning the Islamic faith of his 
ancestors, and condemned him to death for apostasy; 
Whereas the Iranian court sentenced Youcef Nadarkhani to 
death by hanging; 
Whereas on December 5, 2010, Youcef Nadarkhani appealed 
his conviction and sentence to the Supreme Revolutionary 
Court in Qom, Iran, and the court held that if it could 
be proven that he was a practicing Muslim in adulthood, 
his death sentence should be carried out unless he re-
cants his Christian faith and adopts Islam; 
Whereas from September 25 to September 28, 2011, an Ira-
nian court held hearings to determine if Youcef 
Nadarkhani was a practicing Muslim in adulthood, and 
held that he had abandoned the faith of his ancestors and
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must be sentenced to death if he does not recant his 
faith; 
Whereas on numerous occasions the judiciary of Iran offered 
to commute Youcef Nadarkhani’s sentence if he would re-
cant his faith; 
Whereas numerous Government of Iran officials have at-
tempted to coerce Youcef Nadarkhani to recant his 
Christian faith and accept Islam in exchange for his free-
dom; 
Whereas Youcef Nadarkhani continues to refuse to recant his 
faith; 
Whereas the Government of Iran continues to indefinitely im-
prison Youcef Nadarkhani for choosing to practice Chris-
tianity; and 
Whereas the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situa-
tion of human rights in Iran has reported that, at the 
time of his report, on October 19, 2011, Iran had se-
cretly executed 146 people during that calendar year, and 
in 2010, Iran secretly executed more than 300 people: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) condemns the Government of Iran for its ongo-
ing and systemic violations of the human rights of the 
Iranian people, including the state-sponsored persecution 
of religious minorities in Iran, and its continued failure 
to uphold its international obligations, including with re-
spect to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and 
the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights;
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(2) calls for the Government of Iran to exonerate 
and immediately and unconditionally release Youcef 
Nadarkhani and all other individuals held or charged on 
account of their religious or political beliefs; 
(3) calls on the Administration to designate addi-
tional Iranian officials, as appropriate, for human rights 
abuses pursuant to section 105 of the Comprehensive 
Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 
2010 (Public Law 111–195); and 
(4) reaffirms that freedom of religious belief and 
practice is a universal human right and a fundamental 
individual freedom that every government must protect 
and must never abridge. 
Attest: 
Clerk.