[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 66 (Thursday, April 20, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E342] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-20
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Ms. JACKSON LEE: I rise today to announce the introduction of a resolution Condemning the Inaction by the Islamic Republic of Iran in Addressing the Poisoning of Iranian School Girls, the daughters of the Iranian Revolution, and to announce the creation of the Iranian Women Congressional Caucus. This resolution recognizes the bravery and resilience of women who have faced tremendous challenges in their fight for equality and human rights. We have all witnessed the courage of women and youth leading the 2022 protests in Iran, calling for social freedom and political change. As stated in the resolution, these protests stem from more than four decades of organized resistance against the Iranian dictatorship, led by women who have endured torture, sexual and gender-based violence, and death. The uprising last year in Iran started with the murder of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman arrested by morality police in Tehran on September 13, 2022, for allegedly violating Iran's strict rules requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf. Since the protests started in September, after the murder of Mahsa Amini's, women and men have taken to the streets, risking their lives for a free and democratic Iran. Over 500 people have been killed, over 15,000 arrested. Iranian courts have issued numerous death sentences linked to the protests, convicting people of being ``enemies against God'' and ``spreading corruption on Earth.'' As a long-time advocate and fighter for justice and equality, I am inspired by the ongoing revolution led by Iranian women, despite the tortures their people face daily imposed their government. Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), has been, for decades, the leading voice against the regime's abuses. Her Ten-Point Plan for the future of Iran, which she presented to the European Parliament in 2006, provides a roadmap for a secular, democratic, non-nuclear republic where the rule of law is upheld. Mrs. Rajavi's Ten-Point Plan stresses ``Complete gender equality in the realms of political, social, cultural, and economic rights, and equal participation of women in political leadership. Abolishment of any form of discrimination; the right to choose one's own clothing freely; the right to freely marry and divorce; and to obtain education and employment. Prohibition of all forms of exploitation against women under any pretext.'' As co-chair of the Iranian Women Caucus, and on behalf of all its members, I support Mrs. Rajavi's vision of a society where both men and women reject compulsory religion, compulsory hijab, and compulsory government. The current regime's human rights abuses have their roots in past dictatorships, characterized by widespread human rights violations, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and political suppression by SAVAK, the notorious secret police. It is essential that we acknowledge this history and address the root causes of the current human rights crisis in Iran. I strongly condemn the deliberate gas attacks on schoolgirls in Iran and the violent suppression of students, men, and women participating in demonstrations. I call for transparent accountability for all killings of protesters by Iranian security forces. I strongly encourage my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to support the Iranian Women Caucus and this resolution.