[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 217 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 217

 Relating to the freedom of belief, expression, and association in the 
                      People's Republic of China.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            November 2, 1999

 Mr. Hutchinson (for himself, Mr. Lott, Ms. Collins, Mr. Nickles, Mr. 
 Durbin, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Mack, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Gorton, Mr. 
Coverdell, and Mr. Wellstone) submitted the following resolution; which 
           was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                            November 5, 1999

         Reported by Mr. Helms, with amendments to the preamble
  [Omit the part struck through and insert the part printed in italic]

                           November 19, 1999

                   Considered, amended, and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Relating to the freedom of belief, expression, and association in the 
                      People's Republic of China.

Whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 
        International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights affirm the freedoms 
        of thought, conscience, religion, expression, and assembly as 
        fundamental human rights belonging to all people;
Whereas the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a common 
        standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, including the 
        People's Republic of China, a member of the United Nations;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has signed the International Covenant on 
        Civil and Political Rights but has yet to ratify the treaty and thereby 
        make it legally binding;
Whereas the Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides for the 
        freedom of religious belief and the freedom not to believe;
Whereas according to the Department of State and international human rights 
        organizations, the Government of the People's Republic of China does not 
        provide these freedoms but continues to restrict unregistered religious 
        activities and persecutes persons on the basis of their religious 
        practice through measures including harassment, prolonged detention, 
        physical abuse, incarceration, and police closure of places of worship; 
        and
Whereas under the International Religious Freedom Act, the Secretary of State 
        has designated the People's Republic of China as a country of special 
        concern: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate calls on the Government of the People's 
Republic of China to--
            (1) release all prisoners of conscience and put an 
        immediate end to the harassment, detention, physical abuse, and 
        imprisonment of Chinese citizens exercising their legitimate 
        rights to free belief, expression, and association; and
            (2) demonstrate its willingness to abide by internationally 
        accepted norms of freedom of belief, expression, and 
        association by repealing or amending laws and decrees that 
        restrict those freedoms and proceeding promptly to ratify and 
        implement the International Covenant on Civil and Political 
        Rights.
                                 <all>