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(B) cease using the diplomatic missions in the United States to spread falsehoods about

the nature of Falun Gong;

(C) release from detention all prisoners of conscience, including practitioners of Falun Gong, who have been incarcerated in violation of their rights as expressed in the Constitution

of the People's Republic of China;

(D) immediately end the harassment, detention, physical abuse, and imprisonment of individuals who are exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of religion, including the practices of Falun Gong, freedom of expression, and freedom of association as stated in the Constitution of the People's Republic of China;

and

(E) demonstrate its willingness to abide by international standards of freedom of belief, expression, and association by ceasing to restrict those freedoms in the People's Republic of China;

(2) the President should, in accordance with section 401(a)(1)(B) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (22 U.S.C. 6401(a)(1)(B)), and with the intention of dissuading the Chinese

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Government from attempting to stifle religious free

dom in the People's Republic of China and the

United States, take action such as

(A) issuing an official public demarche, a formal protest, to the Chinese Foreign Ministry in response to the repeated violations by the Chinese Government of basic human rights protected in international covenants to which the

People's Republic of China is a signatory; and (B) working more closely with Chinese human rights activists to identify Chinese authorities who have been personally responsible for acts of violence and persecution in the People's Republic of China;

(3) the Attorney General should investigate reports that Chinese consular officials in the United States have committed illegal acts while attempting to intimidate or inappropriately influence Falun Gong practitioners or local elected officials, and, in consultation with the Secretary of State, determine an appropriate legal response; and

(4) officials of local governments in the United States should—

(A) in accordance with local statutes and procedures, recognize and support organizations

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and individuals that share the goals of all or

part of the local community, including Falun

Gong practitioners; and

(B) report incidents of pressure or harassment by agents of the People's Republic of

China to Members of Congress, the Attorney
General, and the Secretary of State.

iv

108TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

H. CON. RES. 319

Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the continuing repression of the religious freedom and human rights of the Iranian Bahá'í community by the Government of Iran.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 30, 2003

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. LANTOS, and Mr. SMITH of New Jersey) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the continuing repression of the religious freedom and human rights of the Iranian Bahá'í community by the Government of Iran.

Whereas in 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, and in 2000, 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 Bahá'í Faith;

Whereas the followers of Bahá'u'lláh, who constitute the largest religious minority in Iran, are not recognized under the Iranian Constitution and are deprived thereby of adequate legal protection;

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Whereas Congress has deplored the Government of Iran's

persecution of the Bahá'í community and has condemned Iran's execution of more than 200 Bahá'í and the imprisonment of thousands of others solely on account of their religious beliefs;

Whereas on February 22, 1993, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights published a confidential Iranian Government document revealing that these repressive actions are part of a deliberate policy to destroy the Bahá'í community, a deliberate policy that was designed and approved by the highest officials in the Iranian Government;

Whereas in 2002, when the United States was not a member of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the resolution against human rights abuses in Iran failed to pass for the first time in 17 consecutive years;

Whereas in 2003, a resolution against human rights abuses in Iran was not introduced for a vote at the meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights;

Whereas the Government of Iran is now free to continue its systematic and deliberate policy to destroy the Bahá'í community in the absence of international monitors;

Whereas the use of harassment, in the form of arrests, suspended sentences, and short-term detentions against the Iranian Bahá'ís have increased since the failure in 2002 to adopt the United Nations resolution against human rights abuses in Iran;

Whereas four Bahá'ís remain imprisoned in Iran solely because of their religious beliefs, 1 serving a 4-year sentence and another a life sentence for apostasy from

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