[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 629 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 629

Condemning violence by the Government of Syria against journalists, and 
expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on freedom of the 
                            press in Syria.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 19, 2012

Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Pence, Mr. Wolf, and Mr. Berman) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                            Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Condemning violence by the Government of Syria against journalists, and 
expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on freedom of the 
                            press in Syria.

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1738 (2006) stresses the 
        obligations of states under international norms to ensure the safety of 
        journalists in war zones;
Whereas, since the uprisings in Syria began in January 2011, the Government of 
        Syria has denied entry to foreign journalists and arrested, abducted, 
        beaten, tortured, and killed journalists, photographers, and bloggers to 
        prevent the free flow of accurate information to the outside world;
Whereas restrictions imposed by the Government of Syria on media have made it 
        extraordinarily difficult to verify death tolls and the exact nature and 
        course of events within the country;
Whereas Syrian state media reports differ significantly from the few independent 
        reports that make their way out of Syria;
Whereas Reporters Without Borders, an international nongovernmental organization 
        that advocates freedom of the press and freedom of information, has 
        listed Bashar al-Assad as a Predator of Freedom of the Press;
Whereas the League of Arab States called for the media to be allowed into Syria 
        during its monitoring mission that was suspended indefinitely on January 
        28, 2012, due to the ``critical deterioration of the situation'' in 
        Syria;
Whereas freelance journalist Ferzat Jarban was tortured and killed on November 
        19 or 20, 2011, after filming protests in Al-Qassir, Syria;
Whereas videographer Basil al-Sayed died on December 27, 2011, from a gunshot 
        wound he suffered 5 days earlier at a checkpoint in the Baba Amr 
        neighborhood in the city of Homs, Syria;
Whereas Shukri Abu al-Burghul of the state-owned daily Al Thawra and Radio 
        Damascus died on January 3, 2012, in Damascus, Syria from a gunshot 
        wound to the head he suffered four days earlier;
Whereas Gilles Jacquier, a correspondent with France 2 television, was killed in 
        a grenade explosion on January 11, 2012, while covering demonstrations 
        in the city of Homs;
Whereas freelance journalist Mazhar Tayyara, a videographer and photojournalist 
        who contributed to Agence France-Presse and other international outlets, 
        was killed by government forces' fire in the city of Homs on February 4, 
        2012;
Whereas New York Times correspondent Anthony Shadid died of an asthma attack on 
        February 16, 2012, while attempting to leave Syria after reporting 
        inside the country for a week, gathering information on the Free Syrian 
        Army and other armed elements of the resistance to the government of 
        President Bashar al-Assad;
Whereas freelance journalist Rami al-Sayed, who filmed videos of Syrian security 
        forces' repressive acts, was killed on February 21, 2012, while covering 
        the bombardment of the city of Homs by Government of Syria forces;
Whereas journalist Marie Colvin of the Sunday Times, a United States citizen, 
        and freelance photojournalist Remi Ochlik were killed on February 22, 
        2012, after their makeshift press center in Homs was struck by rockets 
        fired by Government of Syria forces;
Whereas, on February 22, 2012, Department of State Spokesman Mark Toner stated, 
        ``[T]oday, we're also clearly deeply troubled and saddened by reports 
        that American journalist Marie Colvin and French journalist Remi Ochlik 
        were killed today in Homs as a result of the intense shelling, the 
        ongoing intense shelling by the Syrian regime. . . . We, of course, 
        extend our deepest condolences to their families and loved ones and just 
        note that their sacrifice in chronicling the daily suffering of the 
        people of Homs stands as a testament to journalism's highest 
        standards.'';
Whereas 13 opposition activists in Syria were killed during a weeklong attempt 
        to rescue 4 foreign journalists, 2 of whom were injured, who were 
        trapped in Homs as a result of the bombardment by the Government of 
        Syria that killed Marie Colvin and Remi Ochlik;
Whereas videographer Anas al-Tarsha, who documented unrest in the besieged city 
        of Homs, was killed by a mortar round while filming the bombardment of 
        the city's Qarabees district on February 24, 2012;
Whereas, from 1992 through 2010, zero journalists were killed in Syria according 
        to the Committee to Protect Journalists; and
Whereas the Government of Syria has continued to arbitrarily arrest and detain 
        prominent Syrian journalists and bloggers: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on the Government of Syria to immediately open 
        the country up to independent and foreign journalists and 
        immediately end its media blackout;
            (2) condemns in the strongest possible terms the Government 
        of Syria's abuse, intimidation, and violence towards 
        journalists, videographers, and bloggers;
            (3) calls on the Government of Syria to immediately release 
        all journalists, videographers, and bloggers who have been 
        detained, arrested, or imprisoned;
            (4) pays tribute to the journalists who have lost their 
        lives while reporting on the conflict in Syria;
            (5) commends the bravery and courage of journalists who 
        continue to operate in harm's way;
            (6) supports the people of Syria seeking access to a free 
        flow of accurate news and other forms of information;
            (7) recognizes the critical role that technology plays in 
        helping independent journalists report the facts on the ground;
            (8) condemns all acts of censorship and other restrictions 
        on freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of 
        expression in Syria;
            (9) strongly condemns all nations that assist or enable the 
        Government of Syria's ongoing repression of the media; and
            (10) reaffirms the centrality of press freedom to efforts 
        by the United States Government to support democracy and 
        promote good governance around the world.
                                 <all>