STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date: October 11, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Laurence Wiener, City Attorney
Cynthia Owens, Policy & Management Analyst
Subject: Resolution of the Council of the City of Beverly Hills Condemning the Government of Iran of the Physical Beating and Death of Mahsa Amini by Iran’s Morality Police
Attachment: 1. Proposed Resolution
INTRODUCTION
The proposed resolution condemns the government of Iran for the actions of its morality police in the physical beating and death of Mahsa Amini; calls for an impartial investigation into her death and to bring those liable to justice; supports sanctions against the Iranian Government and Iran’s morality police; and urges the government of Iran to implement meaningful laws ensuring basic human rights for all its citizen.
DISCUSSION
On September 13, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a 22 year-old Kurdish woman from the northwestern city of Saqez, was arrested in Tehran by Iran’s morality police who accused her of breaking Iran’s strict law requiring women to fully cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf and their arms and legs with loose clothing. She was reportedly beaten after her arrest by Iran’s morality police and transferred to the Vozara Detention Center in Tehran.
On September 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini died in a hospital after spending three days in a coma. Since the announcement of Mahsa Amini’s death, thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in many cities, including Tehran, Ilam, Isfahan, Mahabad, Saqez, Sari, and Tabriz, to demand accountability for her death and calling for an end to violence and discrimination against women and girls in Iran. As part of the demonstrations, women across Iran are burning their hijabs and cutting their hair to protest the lack of women’s rights in their country.
Due to the demonstrations receiving international attention, on September 19, 2022, the government of Iran began to curb online access and shut down the internet so information about the protests would be limited. On September 21, 2022, the Iranian government blocked access to Instagram and WhatsApp, two of the remaining active social media networks in Iran.
On September 22, 2022, the United States Department of State sanctioned Iran's morality police and seven officials for alleged human rights abuses in Iran. The seven individuals include:
Haj Ahmad Mirzaei, senior official in Iran’s morality police Mohammad Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi, senior officials in Iran’s morality police Ismail Khatib, Iran's minister of intelligence
Manouchehr Amanollahi, Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (“LEF”) Commander of the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province
Qasem Rezaei, Deputy Commander of the LEF
Kiyumars Heidari, Commander of the Iran army's ground forces Salar Abnoush, Deputy Commander of the Basij, a paramilitary militia and a subsidiary force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps At the September 20, 2022 City Council meeting, Mayor Bosse opened the meeting with comments regarding Mahsa Amini’s death, which was then followed with a moment of silence. All of the City Councilmembers then expressed united outrage over this criminal act, with a call for a resolution to condemn the actions of Iran’s morality police. This report is presenting a resolution to the City Council for their consideration.
This resolution, if passed by the City Council, states:
The City of Beverly Hills strongly condemns the Iranian morality police for the evil, cruel, and barbaric acts that lead to the death of Mahsa Amini and further condemns the regime for its brutality, anti-democratic oppression of its citizens and documented human rights violations, especially against women, students, and minorities.
The resolution further calls for:
The United States to not negotiate with the regime in Iran and to not release any assets frozen in the United States;
The City to support the sanctions of the United States Department of State issued for Iran’s morality police Iran’s morality police and the seven officials listed above;
The United States to consider further enhanced sanctions against Iran and those individuals involved in the regime while still allowing critical economic and medical aid to reach the citizens of Iran;
The United States and nations around the world to strongly advocate for Iran to cease further developing nuclear power plants and weapons due to the City’s concern for the region;
An impartial investigation into the events leading to the death of Mahsa Amini and for those found liable for her death to be brought to justice; and The Iranian Government to implement meaningful laws ensuring basic human rights for all its citizen as a tribute to Mahsa Amini.
The resolution closes with the City voicing its strong support for the right of all women to live a life without repression, brutal violence and restrictions on their basic human rights.
Finally, to honor Mahsa Amini’s life and legacy, City Hall was illuminated with the message “Justice for Mahsa Amini” from September 27, 2022 to October 2, 2022.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no anticipated fiscal impact at this time.
RECOMMENDATION
The City Council may provide any changes, modifications, or directions they wish on this item.
George Chavez
City Manager
Approved By
Attachment 1
B0785-0001\2726615v3.doc
RESOLUTION NO. 22-R-_________
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS
CONDEMNING THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN FOR THE PHYSICAL
BEATING AND DEATH OF MAHSA AMINI BY IRAN’S MORALITY
POLICE
WHEREAS, on September 13, 2022, Iran’s morality police arrested and accused Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, of breaking a law requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab, or headscarf, and their arms and legs with loose clothing; and WHEREAS, Mahsa Amini was reportedly beaten after her arrest on September 13, 2022 by Iran’s morality police and transferred to the Vozara Detention Center in Tehran; and WHEREAS, on September 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini died in a hospital after spending three days in a coma; and
WHEREAS, beginning with the announcement of the death of Mahsa Amini, thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets in many cities, including Tehran, Ilam, Isfahan, Mahabad, Saqez, Sari, and Tabriz, to demand accountability for Mahsa Amini’s death and an end to violence and discrimination against women and girls in Iran; and WHEREAS, Iranian women are burning hijabs and have cut their hair to protest to the lack of women’s rights in their country; and
WHEREAS, the citizens of Iran have demonstrated numerous times over many years due to Iran’s ailing economy and lack of basic human rights; and WHEREAS, on September 19, 2022, the government of Iran began to curb online access and shutting down the Internet so information about the protests would be limited; and WHEREAS, on September 21, 2022, the government of Iran blocked access to Instagram and WhatsApp, two of the remaining active social media networks in Iran; and DocuSign Envelope ID: 5EFCA252-9050-4E5F-AE6E-0AD58546D9EA -2-
B0785-0001\2726615v3.doc
WHEREAS, on September 22, 2022, the United States Department of State sanctioned Iran’s morality police and seven Iranian officials for alleged human rights abuses; and WHEREAS, from September 27, 2022 to October 2, 2022, the City Beverly Hills illuminated City Hall with the message “Justice for Mahsa Amini” to honor Mahsa Amini’s life and legacy;
NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Beverly Hills resolves as follows:
Section 1. The City of Beverly Hills strongly condemns the Iranian morality police for the evil, cruel, and barbaric acts that lead to the death of Mahsa Amini and further condemns the regime for its brutality, anti-democratic oppression of its citizens and documented human rights violations, especially against women, students, and minorities.
Section 2. The City of Beverly Hills calls upon the government of the United States to not negotiate with the regime in Iran and to not release any assets frozen in the United States.
Section 3. The City of Beverly Hills supports the sanctions of the United States Department of State issued for Iran’s morality police and the following seven individuals for alleged human rights abuses:
Haj Ahmad Mirzaei, senior official in Iran’s morality police Mohammad Rostami Cheshmeh Gachi, senior officials in Iran’s morality police Ismail Khatib, Iran's minister of intelligence
Manouchehr Amanollahi, Iran’s Law Enforcement Forces (“LEF”) Commander of the Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province
Qasem Rezaei, Deputy Commander of the LEF
Kiyumars Heidari, Commander of the Iran army's ground forces Salar Abnoush, Deputy Commander of the Basij, a paramilitary militia and a subsidiary force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
Section 4. The City of Beverly Hills demands the United States Government consider additional enhanced sanctions which focus solely on the financial assets of the members of the government of Iran and those individuals involved in the regime to the greatest extent possible while still allowing critical economic and medical aid to reach the citizens of Iran.
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5EFCA252-9050-4E5F-AE6E-0AD58546D9EA -3-
B0785-0001\2726615v3.doc
Section 5. The City of Beverly Hills is gravely concerned with the nuclear capability of the government of Iran and the potential fallout to the region and the world; therefore, the City of Beverly Hills implores the United States, and the nations around the world, to strongly advocate for Iran to cease further development of nuclear power plants and weapons.
Section 6. The City of Beverly Hills calls for an impartial investigation of the events leading to the death of Mahsa Amini and that those found liable for her death be brought to justice.
Section 7. The City of Beverly Hills honors the life and legacy of Mahsa Amini by urging the Iranian Government to implement meaningful laws ensuring basic human rights for all its citizen.
Section 8. The City of Beverly Hills strongly supports the right of all women to live a life without repression, brutal violence and restrictions on their basic human rights.
Section 9. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall cause this resolution and her certification to be entered in the Book of Resolution of the Council of this City.
Adopted:
_______________________
LILI BOSSE
Mayor of the City of
Beverly Hills, California
ATTEST:
_______________________ (SEAL)
HUMA AHMED
City Clerk
APPROVED AS FORM: APPROVED AS CONTENT:
_______________________ _______________________
LAURENCE S. WIENER GEORGE CHAVEZ
City Attorney City Manager
DocuSign Envelope ID: 5EFCA252-9050-4E5F-AE6E-0AD58546D9EA Certificate Of Completion
Envelope Id: 5EFCA25290504E5FAE6E0AD58546D9EA Status: Sent Subject: Complete with DocuSign: CLEAN - Resolution_Mahsa Amini_10042022.pdf Source Envelope:
Document Pages: 3 Signatures: 1 Envelope Originator:
Certificate Pages: 2 Initials: 0 Cindy Owens
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10/4/2022 9:15:40 AM
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Stephanie Cao for Laurence Wienrer
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Cynthia L Owens
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Policy & Management Analyst
City of Beverly Hills
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George Chavez
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Lili Bosse
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City of Beverly Hills
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