[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 735 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 735
Requesting information on Azerbaijan's human rights practices pursuant
to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 27, 2023
Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Costa) submitted the
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Requesting information on Azerbaijan's human rights practices pursuant
to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON AZERBAIJAN'S HUMAN RIGHTS
PRACTICES.
(a) Statement Requested.--The House of Representatives requests
that the Secretary of State, not later than 30 days after the date of
the adoption of this resolution, transmit to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign
Relations of the Senate, pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(c)), a statement, prepared in
collaboration with the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy,
Human Rights, and Labor and the Office of the Legal Adviser, regarding
Azerbaijan's human rights practices.
(b) Elements.--The statement submitted under subsection (a) shall
include the following elements:
(1) All available information about the observance and
respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in
Azerbaijan, including information concerning alleged violations
of internationally recognized human rights by the Government of
Azerbaijan, including--
(A) unlawful or arbitrary killings;
(B) torture;
(C) cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or
punishment of detainees;
(D) political prisoners;
(E) arbitrary arrest or detention;
(F) restrictions on freedom of assembly,
association, and movement;
(G) pervasive problems with the independence of the
judiciary;
(H) forced disappearances;
(I) serious restrictions on freedom of speech,
expression, and the media;
(J) severe restrictions on political participation;
(K) discrimination against women and gender-based
violence;
(L) restrictions on religious freedom;
(M) serious restrictions on internet freedom; and
(N) existence of the worst forms of child labor.
(2) A description of the steps that the United States
Government has taken--
(A) to promote respect for and observance of human
rights in Azerbaijan and by the Government of
Azerbaijan, including in the context of the conflict
with Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh);
(B) to discourage any practices in Azerbaijan that
are inimical to internationally recognized human
rights; and
(C) to publicly or privately call attention to, and
disassociate the United States and any security
assistance provided for the Government of Azerbaijan
from, any practices described in subparagraph (B).
(3) An assessment from the Secretary of State,
notwithstanding any practices described in paragraph (2)(B),
whether extraordinary circumstances exist that necessitate a
continuation of security assistance for Azerbaijan.
(4) If such circumstances exist, a description of the
circumstances and the extent to which security assistance
should be continued (subject to such conditions as Congress may
impose under section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961
(22 U.S.C. 2304)).
(5) Other information, including--
(A) an assessment from the Secretary of State of
the likelihood that United States security assistance
(as defined in section 502B(d) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(d))) will be
used in support of Azerbaijani activities related to
the conflict with Armenia, aggression against Nagorno-
Karabakh (Artsakh), and the blockade of the Lachin
Corridor;
(B) a description and assessment of the actions
that the United States Government is taking to ensure
end use monitoring protocols for all weapons sold or
transferred to Azerbaijan;
(C) an assessment of the impact of United States
assistance provided to Azerbaijan over the past 10
years on the balance of power between Azerbaijan and
Armenia, and on efforts to negotiate a durable and
lasting peace settlement between Armenia and
Azerbaijan;
(D) a description of the United States Government's
efforts to implement the Leahy Law in Azerbaijan and
ensure that no units implicated in gross violations of
human rights receive United States assistance,
including information on units that have been rejected
in the Leahy vetting process;
(E) an assessment from the Secretary of State of
whether ethnic cleansing or genocidal acts are taking
place in Nagorno-Karabakh; and
(F) a description of any actions that the United
States Government is taking to implement sanctions,
including sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Human
Rights Accountability Act and section 7031(c) of the
Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related
Programs Appropriations Act, to hold accountable
Azerbaijani officials responsible for gross violations
of human rights or significant corruption.
<all>