,,iv #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,,res4 #beb ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,june #f1 #bjac ,mr4 ,franks of ,arizona 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,sherman1 ,mr4 ,latta1 ,mr4 ,peters of ,california1 ,mr4 ,bishop of ,utah1 ,mr4 ,roskam1 ,mr4 ,wolf1 ,mr4 ,nunnelee1 ,mr4 ,cotton1 ,mr4 ,culberson1 ,mr4 ,pittenger1 ,mr4 ,rodney ,davis of ,illinois1 ,mr4 ,stewart1 ,mr4 ,gohmert1 ,mr4 ,westmoreland1 ,mr4 ,michaud1 and ,mr4 ,brady of ,texas7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,affairs ,,resolution ,calling for free and fair elections in ,iran1 and for other purposes4 ,whereas democracy1 human rights1 and civil liberties are universal values and fundamental principles of ,united ,states foreign policy2 ,whereas an essential element of democratic self-government is for leaders to be chosen and regularly held accountable through elections that are organized and conducted in a manner that is free1 fair1 inclusive1 and consistent with international standards2 ,whereas governments whose power does not derive from free and fair elections lack democratic legitimacy2 ,whereas the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran is a signatory to the ,united ,nations ,international ,covenant on ,civil and ,political ,rights1 adopted ,december #af1 #aiff 7,,iccpr71 which states that every citizen has the right to vote 8at genuine periodic elections0 that reflect 8the free expression of the will of the electors02 ,whereas the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran regularly violates its obligations under the ,,iccpr1 holding elections that are neither free nor fair nor consistent with international standards2 ,whereas elections in ,iran are marred by the disqualification of candidates based on their political views2 the absence of credible international observers2 severe restrictions on freedom of expression1 assembly1 and association1 including censorship1 surveillance1 and disruptions in telecommunications1 and the absence of a free media2 widespread intimidation and repression of candidates1 political parties1 and citizens2 and systemic electoral fraud and manipulation2 ,whereas the last nationwide election held in ,iran1 on ,june #ab1 #bjji1 was widely condemned inside ,iran and throughout the world as neither free nor fair and provoked large-scale peaceful protests throughout ,iran2 ,whereas1 following the ,june #ab1 #bjji1 election1 the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran responded to peaceful protests with a large-scale campaign of politically motivated violence1 intimidation1 and repression1 including acts of torture1 cruel and degrading treatment in detention1 rape1 executions1 extrajudicial killings1 and indefinite detention2 ,whereas1 on ,december #bf1 #bjaa1 the ,united ,nations ,general ,assembly passed a resolution denouncing the serious human rights abuses occurring in the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran2 ,whereas no woman has ever been permitted to run for president by the ,council of ,guardians2 ,whereas authorities in ,iran have announced that nationwide elections for the presidency and for municipal councils will be held in ,june #bjac2 ,whereas no international election observers are scheduled to oversee the ,june #bjac elections2 ,whereas the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran continues to hold candidates from the #bjji election under house arrest and dissidents in indefinite detention2 and ,whereas the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran seeks to prevent the people of ,iran from accessing news and information by incarcerating more journalists than any other country in the world1 according to a #bjaa report from the ,committee to ,protect ,journalists2 disrupting access to the ,internet1 including blocking e-mail and social networking sites and limiting access to foreign news and ,web sites1 developing a national ,internet that will facilitate government censorship of news and information1 and jamming international broadcasts such as the ,voice of ,america's ,persian ,news ,network and ,radio ,free ,europe_/,radio ,liberty's ,radio ,farda3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,house of ,representatives-- 7#a7 reaffirms the commitment of the ,united ,states to democracy1 human rights1 civil liberties1 and rule of law1 including the universal rights of freedom of assembly1 freedom of speech1 and freedom of association2 7#b7 expresses support for freedom1 human rights1 civil liberties1 and rule of law in ,iran1 and for elections that are free1 fair1 and meet international standards1 including granting independent international and domestic electoral observers unrestricted access to polling and counting stations2 7#c7 expresses strong support for the people of ,iran in their peaceful calls for a representative and responsive democratic government that respects human rights1 civil liberties1 and the rule of law2 7#d7 reminds the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran of its obligations under the international covenants to which it is a signatory to hold elections that are free and fair2 7#e7 condemns the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran's widespread human rights violations2 7#f7 calls on the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran to respect freedom of expression and association in ,iran by-- 7,a7 ending arbitrary detention1 torture1 and other forms of harassment against media professionals1 human rights defenders and activists1 and opposition figures1 and releasing all individuals detained for exercising universally recognized human rights2 7,b7 lifting regulatory and legislative restrictions on freedoms of assembly1 association1 and expression2 and 7,c7 allowing the ,internet to remain free and open and allowing domestic and international media to operate freely2 7#g7 further calls on the ,government of the ,islamic ,republic of ,iran to allow international election monitors to be present for the ,june #bjac elections2 and 7#h7 urges the ,president1 the ,secretary of ,state1 and other world leaders-- 7,a7 to express support for the universal rights and freedoms of the people of ,iran1 including to democratic self-government2 7,b7 to broaden engagement with the people of ,iran and support efforts in the country to help promote human rights and democratic reform1 including by providing support to civil society organizations for democracy and governance activities2 and 7,c7 to condemn elections that are not free and fair and that do not meet international standards4