On Thursday, the U.S. House representatives Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) and Nancy Mace (R-SC) announced the establishment of a bipartisan caucus, the Iranian Women Congressional Caucus, consisting of nearly 20 legislators.

The purpose of the caucus is to promote women’s freedom and democracy in Iran and to support thousands of women and girls who have been protesting for a nuclear-free, democratic, and secular Iran. The Iranian Women Congressional Caucus has taken immediate action by passing a joint resolution, H. Res 310, which denounces the chemical assault on Iranian schoolgirls, the Daughters of the Iranian Revolution, and condemns the Iranian regime’s inaction in addressing the situation.

The resolution notes that more than 5,000 schoolgirls in 29 of Iran’s 31 provinces have been hit by poison gas since the first attacks began in November 2022. It also highlights the widespread protests and demands for social freedom and political change led by women and youth in Iran.

The resolution further points out that the Iranian regime has been slow to respond and that angry parents are challenging the regime, accusing it of carrying out targeted and deliberate attacks to prevent girls from receiving an education. Protests have erupted in more than a dozen cities across Iran over the poisoning of thousands of schoolgirls. Security forces have unleashed tear gas against people who peacefully protested the government’s lack of action to provide safety and security for schoolgirls.

The Iranian Women Congressional Caucus also condemns Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi for ignoring the attacks for more than 100 days and blaming protesters for the gas attacks on schoolgirls.

The resolution notes the long-standing human rights abuses in Iran, including arbitrary or unlawful killings, executions for crimes not meeting the international legal standard of “most serious crimes,” or for crimes committed by juvenile offenders, and executions after trials without due process.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Iran has highlighted the “extensive, vague, and arbitrary grounds in Iran for imposing the death sentence, which quickly can turn this punishment into a political tool.”

The Iranian Women Congressional Caucus also mentions the 1988 massacre of thousands of political prisoners, including women and schoolgirls, who remained loyal to the Iranian Resistance. The massacre was carried out based on a fatwa to execute all political prisoners, and subsequent death commissions were formed, whose members included the Iranian regime’s current President, Ebrahim Raisi, an official from the Ministry of Intelligence, and a state prosecutor, to implement the fatwa.

The establishment of the Iranian Women’s Congressional Caucus is a significant step in addressing the human rights violations in Iran and supporting Iranian women’s rights. The caucus will continue to promote women’s freedom.

MEK Iran (follow us on Twitter and Facebook), Maryam Rajavi’s on her site, Twitter & Facebook, NCRI  (Twitter & Facebook), and People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran – MEK IRAN – YouTu