U.S. Lawmakers Have Lost Interest in Supporting Iranian Protesters, Activists Say
The United States Congress has yet to impose sanctions on Iran for torturing and killing hundreds of anti-regime demonstrators
Iranian-American activists are concerned that U.S. lawmakers have lost interest in supporting Iranian protesters and holding the regime responsible for the torture and murder of more than 500 anti-regime demonstrators. Over three months have passed since a group of bipartisan lawmakers introduced the MAHSA Act; however, Congress is yet to take action on it. The activists are annoyed by the slow progress of the legislation, which was named after Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman killed by the country’s morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly.
“We are angry that the people responsible for these atrocities and human rights abuses have not been held accountable,” Sarah Raviani, an Iranian-American human rights activist, told the Free Beacon. “We will no longer accept ineffective statements of condemnation from our politicians. Instead, we urge U.S. lawmakers to support the MAHSA Act and take action.”
The death of Mahsa Amini on September 22nd sparked nationwide protests against Iran’s hardline regime, the most significant threat to its power in years. According to activists, pressure must be sustained on the regime, especially after Iran conducted an attack in Syria that killed one U.S. citizen, leaving six military personnel with traumatic brain injuries.
Raviani is among many Iranian community activists who expressed dissatisfaction with the delay of the MAHSA Act. The bill is currently stuck in the House Foreign Affairs Committee awaiting markup. Although activists expected markup to take place last week, the bill can’t proceed to a full vote in the Republican-controlled House until this procedural hurdle is completed. The bill is anticipated to receive bipartisan approval once it gets to the floor.
“We must hold this regime accountable, and targeted sanctions through executive order aren’t enough and leave the door open to being lifted at any time,” said Emily Sharif, an Iranian-American activist who has been lobbying Congress to act on the bill. “These people must be sanctioned through law as soon as possible. That is why we urge Chairman Michael McCaul of the Foreign Affairs Committee to markup this hugely bipartisan bill that’s supported all across the U.S.
McCaul’s office declined to indicate when the bill would proceed to markup, but the lawmaker supported and co-sponsored the bill when it was first introduced.
The National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), a grassroots advocacy organization supporting the bill, also stated its disappointment in McCaul’s failure to markup the bill.
The MAHSA Act is “a unique opportunity for the U.S. to protect its national security interests against the Islamic Republic in Iran while taking tangible action to support the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy,” stated NUFDI engagement director, Alireza Nader.
Rep. Jim Banks, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, who spearheaded the MAHSA Act, informed the Free Beacon that he’s pushing his colleagues in the Foreign Affairs Committee to move on the bill.
Iranian-American activists assert that they will pressure McCaul and his committee until the bill becomes law.
“Our community has been fighting for this bill tremendously since it’s the first bill after the revolution that takes real action in Congress to support the Iranian people,” said Nick Nikbakht, another Iranian-American human rights activist. He added, “It was surprising to not see the markup go through, but we are optimistic that Chairman McCaul will schedule it for the next House Foreign Affairs Committee meeting in April.”
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