[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 600 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 600
Recognizing widening threats to freedoms of the press and expression
around the world, reaffirming the centrality of a free and independent
press to the health of free societies and democracies, and reaffirming
freedom of the press as a priority of the United States in promoting
democracy, human rights, and good governance in commemoration of World
Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2020.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 21, 2020
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Tillis, Mr.
Kaine, Mr. Boozman, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cornyn, Mr. Markey, Mrs. Blackburn,
Mr. Merkley, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Casey) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Recognizing widening threats to freedoms of the press and expression
around the world, reaffirming the centrality of a free and independent
press to the health of free societies and democracies, and reaffirming
freedom of the press as a priority of the United States in promoting
democracy, human rights, and good governance in commemoration of World
Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2020.
Whereas Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in
Paris December 10, 1948, states, ``Everyone has the right to freedom of
opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions
without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and
ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.'';
Whereas, in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 3rd of each
year as ``World Press Freedom Day''--
(1) to celebrate the fundamental principles of freedom of the press;
(2) to evaluate freedom of the press around the world;
(3) to defend the media against attacks on its independence; and
(4) to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives while
working in their profession;
Whereas, on December 18, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted
Resolution 68/163, regarding the safety of journalists and the issue of
impunity for crimes against journalists, which unequivocally condemns
all attacks on, and violence against, journalists and media workers,
including torture, extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance,
arbitrary detention, and intimidation and harassment in conflict and
nonconflict situations;
Whereas Thomas Jefferson, who recognized the importance of the press in a
constitutional republic, wisely declared, ``were it left to me to decide
whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers
without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the
latter.'';
Whereas the First Amendment to the United States Constitution and various State
constitutions protect freedom of the press in the United States;
Whereas the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-166;
22 U.S.C. 2151 note), which was passed by unanimous consent in the
Senate and signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, expanded
the examination of the freedom of the press around the world in the
annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices of the Department of
State;
Whereas a vigilant commitment to freedom of the press is especially necessary in
the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic--
(1) as governments around the world are using emergency laws to
restrict access to information, impose press restrictions, and suppress
free speech; and
(2) as journalists around the world are being censored and imprisoned
for their reporting on the virus;
Whereas in China, Chen Qiushi disappeared after reporting on the Government of
the People's Republic of China's COVID-19 response in February 2020, Xu
Zhiyong was reportedly detained in February 2020 during a COVID-19
prevention check after criticizing Chinese authorities, and reporters
from The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Voice
of America, and Time were expelled in March 2020;
Whereas authorities in numerous countries, including Russia, Iran, Cuba, Burma
(Myanmar), and Venezuela have--
(1) restricted journalist movement;
(2) hindered access to information;
(3) removed content; and
(4) threatened, harassed, attacked, and arrested journalists for their
reporting on the COVID-19 pandemic;
Whereas, even prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, freedom of the press remained
under considerable pressure throughout the world;
Whereas Reporters Without Borders found that, as of April 20, 2020, at least 229
journalists, 116 citizen journalists, and 14 media assistants were
imprisoned worldwide;
Whereas according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, at least 25
journalists were killed around the world for their work in 2019;
Whereas Freedom House's publication ``Freedom in the World 2020'' noted that
global freedom of expression has declined every year for the past 14
years;
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the world's most
censored countries include Eritrea, North Korea, Turkmenistan, Saudi
Arabia, China, Vietnam, Iran, Equatorial Guinea, Belarus, and Cuba;
Whereas the Government of the Philippines has waged a campaign of judicial
harassment against a variety of independent press outlets, including the
news website Rappler and its editor, Maria Ressa, who has been arrested
twice;
Whereas in Russia, Crimean Tatar freelance journalist Nariman Memedeminov was
sentenced to 30 months in prison for reporting on human rights
violations by Russian authorities in Crimea;
Whereas in Cuba, the Committee to Protect Journalists and Amnesty International
have written to the Cuban authorities to request the immediate release
of journalist Roberto Quinones, who has been imprisoned since September
2019;
Whereas in Venezuela, freelance journalist Darvinson Rojas has been detained
since March 21, 2020, for reporting on presumed COVID-19 cases that were
unacknowledged by the Government of Venezuela;
Whereas in Mexico, Quinto Poder de Veracruz founder Maria Elena Ferral, El
Graffico reporter Jorge Celestino Ruiz Vazquez, and journalists Nevith
Condes Jaramilla, Rogelio Barragan Perez, and Norma Sarabia were all
murdered between June 2019 and March 2020;
Whereas in Niger, independent journalist Kaka Touda Mamane Goni was arrested on
March 5, 2020, and faces up to 3 years in prison for publishing news
reports on social media about potential COVID-19 cases;
Whereas in Burundi, Iwacu journalists Christine Kamikazi, Agnes Ndirubusa, Egide
Harerimana, and Terence Mpozenzi were convicted on charges of attempting
to undermine state security and sentenced to 2\1/2\ years in prison;
Whereas in Tanzania, journalist Azory Gwanda has been missing since November
2017;
Whereas Turkey remains one of the top jailers of independent journalists around
the world, and the Government of Turkey closed down more than 100 news
outlets during 2019;
Whereas in Egypt, prominent blogger and activist Alaa Abdelfattah was rearrested
in September 2019, human rights activist and journalist Esraa Abdel
Fattah was rearrested in October 2019, and Guardian reporter Ruth
Michaelson's press credentials were withdrawn for questioning official
COVID-19 figures on March 16, 2020;
Whereas American journalist Austin Tice has been detained in Syria since August
14, 2012;
Whereas female journalists and writers in Saudi Arabia face harsh personal
consequences for their work, and Zana Al-Shari of the daily Al-Riyadh,
Maha al-Rafidi al-Qahtani of the daily Al-Watan, and recipients of the
2019 PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award Nouf Abdulaziz, Loujain Al-
Hathloul, and Eman Al-Nafjan remain missing, imprisoned, or on trial due
to their writing and outspoken women's rights advocacy;
Whereas the Senate has concluded that Washington Post journalist and United
States resident Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by a team of Saudi
operatives at the behest of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman;
Whereas, under the auspices of the United States Agency for Global Media, the
United States Government provides financial assistance to several
editorially independent media outlets, including Voice of America, Radio
Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio, the Office of Cuba
Broadcasting, and the Middle East Broadcast Networks--
(1) which report and broadcast news, information, and analysis in
critical regions around the world; and
(2) whose journalists regularly face harassment, fines, and
imprisonment for their work; and
Whereas freedom of the press is a key element of public transparency, civil
society participation, socioeconomic development, and democratic
governance: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) declares that a free press--
(A) is a central component of free societies,
democratic governance, and contributes to an informed
civil society, and government accountability;
(B) helps expose corruption, and enhances public
accountability and transparency of governments at all
levels; and
(C) disseminates information essential to improving
public health and safety;
(2) condemns threats to freedom of the press and free
expression around the world; and
(3) in remembrance of journalists who have lost their lives
carrying out their vital work--
(A) calls on governments abroad to implement United
Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/163 (2013) by
thoroughly investigating and seeking to resolve
outstanding cases of violence against journalists,
including murders and kidnappings, while ensuring the
protection of witnesses;
(B) condemns all actions around the world that
suppress freedom of the press;
(C) calls for the unconditional and immediate
release of all imprisoned journalists;
(D) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the
press to efforts of the United States Government to
support democracy, mitigate conflict, and promote good
governance domestically and around the world; and
(E) calls upon the President and the Secretary of
State--
(i) to preserve and build upon the
leadership of the United States on issues
relating to freedom of the press, on the basis
of the protections afforded the American people
under the First Amendment to the Constitution
of the United States;
(ii) to improve the rapid identification,
publication, and response by the United States
Government to threats against freedom of the
press around the world;
(iii) to urge foreign governments to
protect the free flow of information and to
transparently investigate and bring to justice
the perpetrators of attacks against
journalists; and
(iv) to promote the respect and protection
of freedom of the press around the world.
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