On February 28, 2008, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk (IL - 10th district) introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives condemning the persecution of the Baha’is in Iran. H. RES. 1008 is the tenth congressional resolution since 1982 on the Baha'is in Iran.

The congressional resolution (download PDF version) condemns the government of Iran for its state-sponsored persecution of Baha'is; calls on the government of Iran to immediately cease activities aimed at the repression of the Iranian Baha'i community; and continues to hold the government of Iran responsible for upholding all the rights of its nationals, including members of the Baha'i community.

The resolution also condemns the government of Iran's continued imprisonment of individuals without due process and a fair trial; calls on the government of Iran to immediately release 3 Baha'is: Ms. Raha Sabet, Mr. Sasan Taqva, and Ms. Haleh Roohi; and calls on the government of Iran and the Iranian Parliament to reject a draft Islamic penal code, which violates Iran's commitments under the International Covenants on Human Rights.

Action Alert

If your member of the House of Representatives is not listed among the sponsors below, please send an email urging him or her to cosponsor H. RES 1008 condemning the persecution of the Baha'is in Iran.  To identify your representative, visit www.house.gov and enter your “zip plus four” code. Click on the homepage for your representative and follow the instructions for sending him or her an email

The resolution has been sponsored by the following representatives (updated May 16, 2008):

Rep Kirk, Mark [IL-10]
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1]
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1]
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28]
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1]
Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5]
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44]
Rep Cantor, Eric [VA-7]
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17]
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14]
Rep Etheridge, Bob [NC-2]
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4]
Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6]
Rep Green, Gene [TX-29]
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23]
Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27]
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22]
Rep Inglis, Bob [SC-4]
Rep Latham, Tom [IA-4]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16]
Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8]
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11]
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]
Rep McHugh, John M. [NY-23]
Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11]
Rep McNulty, Michael R. [NY-21]
Rep Pence, Mike [IN-6]
Rep Platts, Todd Russell [PA-19]
Rep Ramstad, Jim [MN-3]
Rep Ros-Lehtinen, Ileana [FL-18]
Rep Sali, Bill [ID-1]
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27]
Rep Shimkus, John [IL-19]
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10]
Rep Wamp, Zach [TN-3]
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19]
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2]
Rep Wolf, Frank R. [VA-10]