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AJR-64 Islamic Republic of Iran: show trials.(1999-2000)

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AJR64:v96#DOCUMENT

Assembly Joint Resolution No. 64
CHAPTER 82

Relative to condemning show trials of thirteen Iranian Jews.

[ Filed with Secretary of State  June 16, 2000. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AJR 64, Kuehl. Islamic Republic of Iran: show trials.
This measure would condemn the arrest and show trials of 13 Jewish men and boys of Shiraz and Isfahan, urge the government of the United States to take all possible diplomatic, political, and economic measures to protest the show trials, including refusing to resume diplomatic relations with Iran, and would urge the Islamic Republic of Iran to impose no punishment or penalty on the 13 Jews, and to immediately and unconditionally release them.
WHEREAS, In March 1999, the Islamic Republic of Iran arrested 13 Jewish men and boys in the cities of Shiraz and Isfahan: Navid Balzadeh, Nejat Beroukhim, Farhad Seleh, Shahrokh Paknahad, Ramin Farzam, Farzad Kashi, Faramarz Kashi, Asher Zadmehr, Nasser Yaghoub Levy Haim, Javid Beit Yaghoub, Ramin Nemati, Dani Tefilin, and Omid Tefilin; and
WHEREAS, Iran has accused the 13 Jews of espionage on behalf of Israel and the United States of America, a crime punishable by death under Iranian law; and
WHEREAS, No Jewish citizen of Iran is permitted to have access to any sensitive government information, and the accusation of espionage is a pretext for the ongoing persecution and scapegoating of Jews in Iran, which has resulted in the execution of between 35 and 50 Iranian Jews since Iran’s Islamic Revolution of 1979; and
WHEREAS, The 13 Jews appear to be pawns in a power struggle between so-called “moderates” and “conservatives” in the Iranian government; and
WHEREAS, Iran imprisoned the 13 Jews for over a year without officially charging them with any crime; has commenced the trials without permitting them to retain legal counsel of their choice; has prevented international observers from attending the trials; and has even denied members of the families of the 13 Jews access to the courtroom, such that the trials may fairly be described as show trials; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature strongly condemns the arrest and show trials of the 13 Jewish men and boys of Shiraz and Isfahan, urges the government of the United States of America to take all possible diplomatic, political, and economic measures to protest the show trials, including, but not limited to, refusing to resume diplomatic relations with Iran, and urges the Islamic Republic of Iran to impose no punishment or penalty on the 13 Jews, and to immediately and unconditionally release them; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.