[House Hearing, 113 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF UNITED STATES CITIZEN SAEED ABEDINI AND
CONDEMNING THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN FOR ITS PERSECUTION OF RELIGIOUS
MINORITIES
=======================================================================
MARKUP
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON
THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRTEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
H. Res. 147
__________
NOVEMBER 13, 2013
__________
Serial No. 113-77
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/
or
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
85-553 WASHINGTON : 2013
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512-1800; DC
area (202) 512-1800 Fax: (202) 512-2104 Mail: Stop IDCC, Washington, DC
20402-0001
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DANA ROHRABACHER, California Samoa
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio BRAD SHERMAN, California
JOE WILSON, South Carolina GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
TED POE, Texas GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
MATT SALMON, Arizona THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina KAREN BASS, California
ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
MO BROOKS, Alabama DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
TOM COTTON, Arkansas ALAN GRAYSON, Florida
PAUL COOK, California JUAN VARGAS, California
GEORGE HOLDING, North Carolina BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER, Illinois
RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III,
SCOTT PERRY, Pennsylvania Massachusetts
STEVE STOCKMAN, Texas AMI BERA, California
RON DeSANTIS, Florida ALAN S. LOWENTHAL, California
TREY RADEL, Florida GRACE MENG, New York
DOUG COLLINS, Georgia LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina TULSI GABBARD, Hawaii
TED S. YOHO, Florida JOAQUIN CASTRO, Texas
LUKE MESSER, Indiana
Amy Porter, Chief of Staff Thomas Sheehy, Staff Director
Jason Steinbaum, Democratic Staff Director
------
Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida, Chairman
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
JOE WILSON, South Carolina GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
ADAM KINZINGER, Illinois BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
TOM COTTON, Arkansas DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
RANDY K. WEBER SR., Texas ALAN GRAYSON, Florida
RON DeSANTIS, Florida JUAN VARGAS, California
TREY RADEL, Florida BRADLEY S. SCHNEIDER, Illinois
DOUG COLLINS, Georgia JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III,
MARK MEADOWS, North Carolina Massachusetts
TED S. YOHO, Florida GRACE MENG, New York
LUKE MESSER, Indiana LOIS FRANKEL, Florida
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
MARKUP OF
H. Res. 147, Calling for the release of United States citizen
Saeed Abedini and condemning the Government of Iran for its
persecution of religious minorities............................ 2
LETTERS, STATEMENTS, ETC., SUBMITTED FOR THE RECORD
The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Representative in Congress
from the State of Florida, and chairman, Subcommittee on the
Middle East and North Africa: Prepared statement............... 5
APPENDIX
Markup notice.................................................... 10
Markup minutes................................................... 11
Markup summary................................................... 12
CALLING FOR THE RELEASE OF UNITED STATES CITIZEN SAEED ABEDINI AND
CONDEMNING THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN FOR ITS PERSECUTION OF RELIGIOUS
MINORITIES
----------
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2013
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:30 p.m., in
room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ileana Ros-
Lehtinen (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Pursuant to notice, for purposes of
markup, I call up H. Res. 147, calling for the release of
United States citizen Saeed Abedini, and condemning the
Government of Iran for its persecution of religious minorities.
The clerk will read.
Mr. Pena. H. Res. 147, calling for the release of United
States citizen Saeed Abedini, and condemning the Government of
Iran----
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Without objection, the measure is
considered as read and open for amendment at any point.
[H. Res. 147 follows:]
----------
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. I thank the author of this bill, Bill
Cassidy, for bringing forth this important legislation this
afternoon. Despite Rouhani's rhetoric and his charm offensive,
every indication is that he continues in his predecessor's
footsteps and has not halted or even curbed the regime's
systematic and widespread human rights violations.
Since he took office, the Iranian regime has conducted over
200 executions, with nearly 20 being conducted in public, and
has renewed its repression of the media and civil society.
Religious minorities have also gotten no reprieve from the
regime. Last month, four Iranian Christians were sentenced to
80 lashes for drinking sacramental wine during communion, and
this past summer an Iranian Christian convert was sentenced to
10 years in prison for distributing Bibles.
This past August an American citizen, Pastor Saeed Abedini,
was convicted and given an 8-year sentence for what the regime
said was undermining the government. In reality, he was
arrested and convicted for preaching his Christian faith.
Earlier this month Iranian authorities transferred Pastor Saeed
to a notorious prison that is reserved for Iran's most violent
criminals, and where his life is in danger on a daily basis.
These are not isolated incidents, and it is time for the
Iranian regime to end its persecution of religious minorities
and immediately release Saeed and others like him. By passing
H. Res. 147, we will send a strong message to Pastor Saeed, his
family, and to the Iranian people who wish to practice their
faiths openly and freely. We stand with them during this time
of despair, and we will continue to press for respect of human
rights in Iran. Let's bring Pastor Saeed home so that he can
reunite with his wife and two children, where he belongs.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Ros-Lehtinen follows:]
----------
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. I would now like to recognize any member
from the Democratic side to speak for Mr. Deutch in support of
the resolution if they wish.
Fearless Leader Cicilline.
Mr. Cicilline. Thank you, Madam Chair, and I would like to
also compliment Mr. Cassidy and say what an important piece of
legislation this is, and how important it is that we send a
very strong message on this issue. And I thank the chair for
convening the hearing and calling for the markup.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir.
I would like to recognize any members who seek recognition
on the Republican side if they wish to speak.
Mr. Cotton of Arkansas is recognized.
Mr. Cotton. I am proud to sponsor this legislation, as
well, calling for the release of Pastor Saeed Abedini, who has
been arrested and in prison since last year. Pastor Abedini
traveled to Iran many times over the last 4 years to open an
orphanage and preach his Christian faith, all with the approval
of the Iranian regime. Since he has been arrested, he has been
subject to brutal beatings for nothing more than ministering,
and now he has been transferred to Karaj, a notorious prison
where murder is an all too common occurrence.
I hope that our administration strongly urges the Iranian
regime to release Pastor Abedini so he can be reunited with his
family. Unfortunately, though, his case is not isolated. The
Iranian regime is a totalitarian bureaucracy that persecutes
Christians and people of other faiths as well. This is not
something that they do just as an accident of the nature of the
regime. This is in the very heart of their regime to suppress
religious freedom of all people in violation of numerous
international obligations and treaties. So we have to ensure
that Pastor Abedini is released, but also continue to pressure
Iran to respect the natural rights of every one of its
citizens.
I yield back.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir.
And any other members wish to seek recognition? If not, we
would like to turn to the sponsor, the author of this important
resolution, so he can be heard. The gentleman is recognized.
Mr. Cassidy. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Mr. Ranking
Member. Thank you for having me here today to discuss this
resolution, and I appreciate the work that the committee has
done on this.
Mr. Abedini is an American, an American who, while he lived
in Iran, converted from Islam to Christianity. He was arrested
in July 2012 when he was visiting family and working in a
nonsectarian orphanage. The Revolutionary Guard arrested him on
charges of activities disruptive to the state; however, when he
was sentenced to 8 years in prison, it was due to missionary
activities which took place a decade earlier when such
activities were legal in Iran.
During his imprisonment. Mr. Abedini reportedly has
suffered constant pain, internal bleeding, and has not received
sufficient medical care. On more than one occasion, he was
taken to the hospital, where the physician recommended he be
admitted and the government would not allow this. On another
occasion, a nurse refused to touch him because he is a
Christian. As a physician I find that particularly offensive.
To further underline the immediacy of the situation, just
last week Mr. Abedini was transferred to the notorious prison,
Rajai Shahr, a prison facility where political prisoners simply
disappear and/or are killed by other prisoners. He has
reportedly been placed in a ward that houses murderers, is in a
cell with other death-row inmates and is not allowed visitors.
When Mr. Abedini's father went to visit, he was denied entry,
and the blankets and medications he brought to treat his son's
internal bleeding were taken away. His wife Naghmeh has said
that she is more concerned now about his safety than at any
other time during his imprisonment.
This is an American being held hostage by the Government of
Iran. I ask that you pass this resolution out of committee so
that we can increase pressure on Iran to release Mr. Abedini
from his wrongful imprisonment and allow him to return back to
the United States where he is a citizen and to be reunited with
his wife and his young children.
I yield back.
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. Thank you, sir.
Seeing no further requests for time, and no amendments
being offered, the chair now moves that the committee agree to
H. Res. 147.
All those in favor, say aye.
All opposed, no.
In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it, and the
measure is agreed to.
Without objection, House Res. 147 is ordered favorably
reported to the full committee, and the staff is directed to
make any technical and conforming changes.
Thank you, Mr. Cassidy, for this bill.
[Whereupon, at 2:35 p.m., the subcommittee was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
----------
Material Submitted for the RecordNotice deg.
\\ts\
\a\