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“TRIAL OF IRANIAN JEWS” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E641 on May 4, 2000.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIAL OF IRANIAN JEWS
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HON. ROBERT A. BRADY
of pennsylvania
in the house of representatives
Thursday, May 4, 2000
Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise to denounce the treatment of the 13 Iranian Jews who have been charged with espionage on behalf of Israel and the United States. To begin, the legitimacy of these charges is highly questionable. The Iranian government, run by the Ayatollah and his Islamic fundamentalist regime, has historically garnered domestic support for their anti-Israel policies by making similar dubious accusations against members of their own Jewish population. The judgments handed down from these ``trials'' over the past 20 years has meant the execution of 17 Iranian Jews. Such atrocities are reminiscent of Nazi Germany and it is America's duty as a leader of the free world to condemn such acts and ensure the fair treatment of these individuals.
The evidence provided thus far has proven to me the impossibility for these individuals to receive a fair trial in their home country. Aside from the charges being apparently baseless (it seems as though they were singled out for teaching classes on Judaism and the practice of Jewish rituals), there have been pre-trial events that have effectively denied these suspects the right to counsel, the right to a speedy and fair trial, and the right against self-incrimination. Last month, the accused were brought before a judge in a closed-door session. It was then announced that the trial would be postponed with no explanation. In spite of reports to the contrary, 10 of the 13 are still being denied the right to select their own lawyers. Several of the attorneys have allegedly stated that their clients have confessed while the families consistently state this is not so. The denials of the families of the victims have led most to believe that these confessions were either coerced or never happened. To further illustrate the prejudicial nature of this legal process, it should be mentioned that one court appointed lawyer reportedly has objected to being forced to represent a Jew.
The international human rights community has advocated the release of these individuals in order to protect their most basic liberties, and I give my utmost support of this effort. Iran is struggling in the face of revolution and will continue violating the basic rights of their people in order to gag the voice of democracy that is spreading throughout the nation. The West must utterly condemn such guerrilla tactics. We must send the message that the newfound relationship between Iran and the United States will not compromise our values. Such a message is not only significant out of concern for these 13 men, but is vital to our own national security. What kind of message does it send to the Ayatollah that we are willing to bend some of our core democratic beliefs in order to placate the Iranian government? Such weakness is not what has made us a world leader. Blatant human rights violations must have a zero-tolerance level and must be confronted head on. Therefore, I strongly urge Secretary Madeline Albright and the Department of State to do all they can in order to save these innocent men.
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