[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 18 Introduced in House (IH)]






109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 18

Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the continuing gross 
   violations of human rights and civil liberties of the Syrian and 
     Lebanese people by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 6, 2005

 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself and Mr. Engel) submitted the following 
     concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the continuing gross 
   violations of human rights and civil liberties of the Syrian and 
     Lebanese people by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Whereas the Syrian Arab Republic is governed by an authoritarian regime which 
        continues to commit serious human rights abuses, including the use of 
        torture and arbitrary arrest and detention;
Whereas the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 
        2003 states that Syria ``significantly restricts freedom of speech and 
        of the press'', that ``freedom of assembly does not exist under the 
        law'', and that ``the Government restricted freedom of association'';
Whereas Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 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 Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states 
        ``Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and 
        association.'';
Whereas Syria's September 2001 press law permits the government to arbitrarily 
        deny or revoke publishing licenses for vague reasons and compels media 
        to submit all material to government censors;
Whereas Syrian authorities have arrested, or, in the case of foreigners, 
        expelled journalists for writing critically about Syria's policies;
Whereas Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have reported that the 
        security forces of Syria are targeting emerging Syrian human rights 
        organizations, as well as their attorneys, in an apparent attempt to 
        intimidate those organizations;
Whereas on March 8, 2004, Syrian security forces arrested more than 30 human 
        rights dissidents and civilians at a sit-in in front of the parliament;
Whereas a United States diplomat who was watching the peaceful demonstrations 
        was also arrested and held for an hour in what the United States called 
        an unacceptable violation of diplomatic practice and which the United 
        States protested ``in the strongest terms'';
Whereas Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states ``All are 
        equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to 
        equal protection of the law.'';
Whereas the criminal law of Syria provides for reduced sentences in cases of 
        ``honor'' killings, and spousal rape is not illegal;
Whereas the infringement by Syria on human rights and civil liberties extends 
        into the Lebanese Republic, which it continues to occupy in violation of 
        United Nations Security Council resolutions;
Whereas Human Rights Watch, in its 2003 World Report, stated that ``political 
        activists in Lebanon continued to demand the withdrawal of all Syrian 
        forces from the country and organized demonstrations throughout the 
        year, many of which the internal security forces dispersed forcibly'';
Whereas hundreds of Lebanese civilians are believed to have been killed or 
        ``disappeared'' by Syrian occupation forces or its secret police;
Whereas hundreds of Kurdish civilians were injured or killed in clashes with the 
        Syrian authorities that began on March 12, 2004, in Qamishli, a city in 
        northeastern Syria and, according to Syrian Kurdish sources, security 
        forces used live ammunition against unarmed civilians;
Whereas Syrian authorities are attempting to imprison Aktham Naisse, Syria's 
        leading human rights activist, who has been charged with spreading false 
        information, forming an underground association with links to 
        international human rights groups, and opposing the ruling Baath party;
Whereas in November 2004, upon his release from prison, Kamal Labwani, a 48-
        year-old physician in Syria, stated that there are at least 400 
        political prisoners in Syria, 100 of whom have been jailed for at least 
        20 years;
Whereas Mr. Labwani urged ``all defenders of freedom and human rights, whether 
        individuals, associations, bodies or international, Arab, or local 
        organizations to participate with us in this campaign to call for the 
        immediate release of all political prisoners and detainees of opinion 
        and conscience'';
Whereas in November 2004, Syrian journalist Louai Hussein was banned from 
        writing by the Syrian Interior Ministry's political security office;
Whereas the arrest in Germany in November 2004 of a Syrian embassy official for 
        espionage and issuing threats against the Syrian opposition in Europe is 
        being cited as an example of a campaign reportedly launched by Syrian 
        dictator Bashar Assad, aimed at intimidating the regime's opposition 
        abroad; and
Whereas human rights and democracy groups in Syria have sponsored a petition 
        urging greater freedoms and the release of all political prisoners, 
        which has garnered more than 6,000 signatures: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) condemns the consistent pattern of gross violations of 
        internationally recognized human rights by the Government of 
        the Syrian Arab Republic;
            (2) calls on the international community to adopt a 
        resolution at the upcoming session of the United Nations 
        Commission on Human Rights which details the dismal human 
        rights record of Syria;
            (3) expresses its support for the people of Syria in their 
        daily struggle for freedom, respect for human rights and civil 
        liberties, democratic self-governance, and the establishment of 
        the rule of law;
            (4) encourages the President and the Secretary of State to 
        reach out to dissidents, human rights activists, and the 
        nonviolent democratic opposition in Syria, and to assist them 
        in their efforts; and
            (5) urges the adoption and pursuit of these and other 
        policies to seek a democratic government in Syria that will--
                    (A) bring freedom and democracy to the people of 
                Syria;
                    (B) cease the illegal occupation by Syria of the 
                Lebanese Republic;
                    (C) abandon support for terrorism by Syria;
                    (D) not pursue research, development, acquisition, 
                production, transfer, or deployment of biological, 
                chemical, or nuclear weapons, will provide credible 
                assurances that such behavior will not be undertaken in 
                the future, and will agree to allow United Nations and 
                other international observers to verify such 
                assurances; and
                    (E) live in peace and security with the 
                international community.
                                 <all>