WASHINGTON, Feb. 16 -- The office of Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., issued the following news release:
Mr. President, I come to speak in support of the resolution offered today by Senator Kirk, co-sponsored by myself, Senator Kyl, Senator Bill Nelson and Senator Casey.
Our resolution would add our voice to the many voices who are calling for the Iranian government to respect the undeniable and universal rights of its people. It would condemn continuing violent repression on the part of the Iranian government; reaffirm our nation's commitment to universal freedoms; express our support for the Iranian people in their peaceful calls for reform; call on the Iranian government to release those detained solely on the basis of their religion, faith, ethnicity, race, gender, sexual orientation, or political belief; call on the United Nations to establish an independent human rights monitor for Iran; and reaffirm the universality of individual rights and the importance of democratic elections. It would amplify and strengthen the message that 24 of us sent this week, in a letter to Secretary Clinton urging her to work with the United Nations Human Rights Commission to establish a human rights monitor for Iran.
Recent events in Iran have continued a pattern of abuse, repression and violation of civil and human rights that is all too familiar.
The people of Iran have rightly seen recent events in the Muslim world, including the removal of dictators in Tunisia and Egypt, as confirmation of the power of nonviolent protest. Just as they did in the aftermath of flawed elections in 2009, the people of Iran have sought to speak out against the corruption and repression in their government.
If justice is to be done, the government of Iran would allow these protests, hear the grievances of the people and reform a government whose autocratic substance is in no way concealed by the facade of representative democracy that the regime has constructed. Instead, the Iranian government has quashed protest, cut off access to the Internet and other means of communication, and placed opposition leaders under house arrest. Members of the ruling regime have called for the execution of opposition leaders and for violent repression of dissent.
Mr. President, we have seen in just a few short weeks the dramatic power of nonviolent protest. We have seen that ultimately, dictatorship will lose its iron grip. I believe we are all confident that the march of time and progress will restore to the people of Iran the rights their government denies them.
But today, as the Iranian people bear the brunt of autocracy and as dissenters face the threat of violent repression, it is important for all those who believe in universal rights to speak out against that repression and violence, to let the people of Iran know that they do not face these threats alone, and to declare that we are in support of their attempts to determine the course of their nation. I strongly support this resolution and call for its immediate passage. For any query with respect to this article or any other content requirement, please contact Editor at htsyndication@hindustantimes.com
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