A resolution condemning the detention and death of Mahsa Amini and calling on the Government of Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.

Bill: 117-sres-803
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE]
Introduced: 2022-09-28
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2022-09-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text: CR S5230)

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-09-28
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p>This resolution condemns the death and detention of Mahsa Amini (an Iranian woman who died in the custody of the Morality Policy of Iran after being detained for purportedly wearing her hijab improperly). It also calls on Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.</p>

tv_txt: III 117th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 803 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 28, 2022 Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Lankford , Mr. Risch , Mrs. Shaheen , Mr. Booker , Mr. Kaine , Mr. Cardin , Mr. Hickenlooper , Mr. Van Hollen , Mr. Blumenthal , Mr. Peters , Mrs. Murray , Mr. Sanders , Mr. Durbin , Ms. Rosen , Mrs. Feinstein , Mr. Padilla , Mr. Brown , Mr. Bennet , Mrs. Gillibrand , Mr. Murphy , Mr. Moran , Ms. Collins , Mr. Cassidy , Mrs. Fischer , Mr. Tillis , Mr. Daines , Mr. Braun , Mr. Boozman , Mr. Sullivan , Mr. Blunt , Mr. Inhofe , Mr. Romney , Mrs. Blackburn , Ms. Ernst , Mr. Cruz , Mr. Cornyn , Mrs. Capito , Mr. Cotton , Mr. Graham , and Mr. Markey ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Condemning the detention and death of Mahsa Amini and calling on the Government of Iran to end its systemic persecution of women.

Whereas Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman, died in the custody of the Morality Police of Iran after being detained for purportedly wearing a hijab improperly ; Whereas the Morality Police of Iran, an element of the Law Enforcement Forces of Iran, continually suppress Iranian women’s right to freedom of expression and opinion, including restrictions on women’s clothing such as compulsory wearing of the hijab; Whereas the protests over the death of Ms. Amini are the largest in Iran since 2019 and have spread throughout the capital of Iran, all of the 31 provinces of Iran, and at least 80 other cities and towns nationwide; Whereas the Government of Iran has instituted a violent crackdown against peaceful protesters following the death of Ms. Amini, resulting in the injury and detention of hundreds of protesters and the deaths of at least 41 people as of September 26, 2022; Whereas, to prevent protests from spreading, the biggest telecommunications operator in Iran largely shut down mobile internet access—the most severe internet restriction in the country since 2019; Whereas the Government of Iran consistently engages in a range of human rights abuses in addition to its systematic persecution of women and peaceful protesters, including— (1) unlawful or arbitrary killings; (2) trials without due process; (3) forced disappearances; (4) torture; (5) arbitrary arrest and detention; (6) harsh and life-threatening prison conditions; (7) transnational attacks against dissidents; (8) severe restrictions on free expression and the media; (9) substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association; (10) severe restrictions on religious freedom; and (11) restrictions on the ability of citizens to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections; Whereas the Government of Iran is ranked as one of the worst human rights violators in the world, having received a 14 out of 100 Global Freedom Score and a 16 out of 100 Internet Freedom Score from Freedom House; Whereas Iran has been designated as a country of particular concern by the Department of State for its suppression of religious freedom every year since 1999; and Whereas improvements in the human rights of women, freedom of expression, and other human rights are fundamental to strengthening the accountability of the Government of Iran to its citizens: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate— (1) condemns the detention and death of Mahsa Amini; (2) recognizes the bravery and right of the Iranian people protesting the death of Ms. Amini, including many Iranian women; (3) calls on the Government of Iran to end its systemic persecution of women; (4) calls on the Government of Iran to allow peaceful protest and free elections; (5) supports human rights, including the human rights of women in Iran; and (6) supports holding all human rights violators in Iran to account.