Calling on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to release Iranian-Americans Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer Namazi.

Bill: 114-hres-808
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Royce, Edward R. [R-CA-39]
Introduced: 2016-07-06
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Congressional tributes

Detention of persons

Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad

Iran

Middle East

Sanctions

United Nations
Latest action: action_date: 2016-07-14
text: Ordered to be Reported by Voice Vote.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-07-06
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Calls on the government of Iran to release Siamak and Baquer Namazi unconditionally.</p> <p>Urges the President, U.S. allies, and the United Nations to raise the cases of Siamak and Baquer Namazi with Iranian officials at every opportunity and undertake efforts to secure their immediate release.</p> <p>Encourages the President to utilize appropriate measures against such government if they are not released.</p>

tv_txt: IV 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 808 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 6, 2016 Mr. Royce (for himself, Mr. Connolly , Ms. Ros-Lehtinen , Mr. Honda , Mr. Issa , Mr. Engel , Mr. DeSantis , Mr. Capuano , and Mr. Mica ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Calling on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to release Iranian-Americans Siamak Namazi and his father, Baquer Namazi.

Whereas dual citizen of the United States and Iran Siamak Namazi studied international relations at Tufts University and urban planning at Rutgers University; Whereas Siamak Namazi was named as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2007; Whereas Siamak Namazi was a former Public Policy Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, was a business consultant, and most recently worked in the petroleum industry for a company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Whereas Siamak Namazi traveled from Dubai to Tehran to visit relatives in July 2015; Whereas when departing, Siamak Namazi was denied exit in mid-July 2015; Whereas Siamak Namazi was interrogated for 3 months before he was detained on October 15, 2015, without any charges; Whereas Siamak Namazi remains under arrest in Evin Prison and no charges have been filed against him; Whereas dual citizen of the United States and Iran, Baquer Namazi, father of Siamak Namazi was detained on February 22, 2016, and is also being held in Evin Prison; Whereas Baquer Namazi worked for UNICEF in New York and served as the UNICEF Representative to Somalia, Kenya, and Egypt; Whereas Baquer Namazi is a recognized leader of humanitarian causes, especially poverty eradication, through his United Nations work and his post-retirement civil society activities; Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry responded on February 25, 2016, to a question about the detention of Siamak Namazi, “I am very familiar with this and I am engaged on it specifically”; and Whereas on January 16, 2016, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran released 5 United States citizens, Jason Rezaian of California, Saeed Abedini of Idaho, Amir Mirzaei Hekmati of Michigan, Matthew Trevithick of Massachusetts, and Nosratollah Khosravi-Roodsari: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) calls on the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran to unconditionally release Siamak and Baquer Namazi immediately; (2) urges the President, the allies of the United States, and the United Nations to raise the cases of Siamak and Baquer Namazi with officials of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran at every opportunity and undertake efforts to secure their immediate release; (3) encourages the President to utilize appropriate measures against the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran if Siamak and Baquer Namazi are not released; and (4) expresses sympathy to the family of Siamak and Baquer Namazi for their anguish and expresses hope that their ordeal can be brought to an end in the near future.