Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 108 Part 6.djvu/505

 CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—APR. 19, 1994 108 STAT. 5073 Apr. 19, 1994 IRANIAN BAHAl FAITH—EMANCIPATION Whereas in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, and 1992, the Congress, by concurrent resolution, declared that it holds the Government of Iran responsible for upholding the rights of all its nationals, including members of the Baha'i Faith, Iran's largest religious minority; Whereas in such resolutions and in numerous other appeals, the Congress condemned the Government of Iran's religious persecution of the Baha'i community, including the execution of more than 200 Baha'is, the imprisonment of additional thousands, and other repressive and discriminatory actions against Baha'is based solely upon their religious beliefs; Whereas in 1992, the Government of Iran summarily executed a leading member of the Baha'i community, arrested and imprisoned several other Baha'is, condemned two Baha'i prisoners to death on account of their religion, and confiscated individual Baha'is' homes and personal properties in several cities; Whereas the Government of Iran continues to deny the Baha'i community the right to organize, to elect its leaders, to hold community property for worship or assembly, to operate religious schools and to conduct other normal religious community activities; and Whereas on February 22, 1993, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights published a formerly confidential Iranian government document constituting a blueprint for the destruction of the Baha'i community, which document reveals that these repressive actions are the result of a deliberate policy designed and approved by the highest officials of the Government of Iran: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That the Congress— (1) continues to hold the Government of Iran responsible for upholding the rights of all its nationals, including members of the Baha'i community, in a manner consistent with Iran's obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international agreements guaranteeing the civil and political rights of its citizens; (2) condemns the repressive anti-Baha'i policy adopted by the Government of Iran, as set forth in a confidential official document which explicitly states that Baha'is shall be denied access to education and employment, and that the government's policy is to deal with Baha'is "in such a way that their progress and development are blocked"; (3) expresses concern that individual Baha'is continue to suffer from severely repressive and discriminatory government actions, solely on account of their religion; and that the Baha'i community continues to be denied legal recognition and the basic rights to organize, elect its leaders, educate its youth, and conduct the normal activities of a law-abiding religious community; (4) urges the Government of Iran to extend to the Baha'i community the rights guaranteed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the international covenants on human rights, including the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, and equal protection of the law; and (5) calls upon the President to continue— [S. Con. Res. 31]

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