U.S. House of Representatives Passes Resolution 134 Condemning the Persecution of Bahá’ís in Iran

WASHINGTON — Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution “condemning the government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of its Bahá’í minority and its continued violation of the International Covenants on Human Rights.” H.Res.134 is the 23rd Congressional resolution since 1982 to address the oppression of the Bahá’ís in Iran.
 “The Bahá’í community is encouraged by the emphasis the U.S. Congress has placed on the human rights abuses in Iran,” said Mr. Kenneth E. Bowers, Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of the United States. “We are convinced that this continued international pressure has kept the situation for the Bahá’ís in Iran from getting much worse.”

 The resolution also called on the President and Secretary of State, together with responsible nations, to condemn the ongoing persecution of the Bahá’ís in Iran, and to demand the release of religious prisoners, including seven Bahá’í leaders who have been sentenced to 20 years in prison – Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. Further, the resolution urged the President and Secretary of State to utilize measures “to sanction officials of the Government of Iran and other individuals directly responsible for egregious human rights violations in Iran, including against the Bahá’í community.”

 Persecution of Bahá’ís