[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 32 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. CON. RES. 32

 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for investigation 
 and prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, 
 whether committed by officials of the Government of Syria, or members 
  of other groups involved in civil war in Syria, and calling on the 
 President to direct the United States Permanent Representative to the 
   United Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States to 
immediately promote the establishment of a Syrian war crimes tribunal, 
                        and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 25, 2014

    Mr. Durbin (for himself and Mr. Rubio) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                               Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of Congress regarding the need for investigation 
 and prosecution of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, 
 whether committed by officials of the Government of Syria, or members 
  of other groups involved in civil war in Syria, and calling on the 
 President to direct the United States Permanent Representative to the 
   United Nations to use the voice and vote of the United States to 
immediately promote the establishment of a Syrian war crimes tribunal, 
                        and for other purposes.

Whereas the Government of Syria is reported to have engaged in widespread 
        torture, rape, and massacre of civilians, including by means of chemical 
        weapons, most recently on or about August 21, 2013;
Whereas other groups involved in civil war in Syria, including the al-Nusra 
        Front, are reported to have engaged in torture, rape, summary execution 
        of government soldiers, kidnapping for ransom, and violence against 
        civilians, including Christians and others who are not Sunni Muslims;
Whereas these and other actions perpetrated by the Government of Syria and other 
        groups involved in civil war in Syria may constitute war crimes, crimes 
        against humanity, and genocide;
Whereas Syria is not a state-party to the Rome Statute of the International 
        Criminal Court, done at Rome July 17, 1998, and is not a member of the 
        International Criminal Court;
Whereas the international community has previously established ad hoc tribunals 
        through the United Nations to bring justice in specific countries where 
        there have been war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide;
Whereas ad hoc tribunals, including the International Criminal Tribunal for the 
        former Yugoslavia, the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and 
        the Special Court for Sierra Leone, have successfully investigated and 
        prosecuted war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, and there 
        are many positive lessons to be learned from these three ad hoc 
        tribunals; and
Whereas any lasting, peaceful solution to civil war in Syria must be based upon 
        justice for all, including members of all factions, political parties, 
        ethnicities, and religions: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring),

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This concurrent resolution may be cited as the ``Immediate 
Establishment of Syrian War Crimes Tribunal Resolution''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

    It is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) the United States Government should urge the Government 
        of Syria and other groups involved in civil war in Syria to 
        implement an immediate cease fire and engage in negotiations to 
        end the bloodshed;
            (2) the United States Government should publicly declare 
        that it is a requirement of basic justice that war crimes, 
        crimes against humanity, and genocide, whether committed by 
        officials of the Government of Syria, or members of other 
        groups involved in civil war in Syria, should be investigated 
        and prosecuted;
            (3) the President should direct the United States Permanent 
        Representative to the United Nations to use the voice and vote 
        of the United States to immediately promote the establishment 
        of a Syrian war crimes tribunal, an ad hoc court to prosecute 
        the perpetrators of such serious crimes committed during the 
        civil war in Syria;
            (4) in working with other countries to establish a Syrian 
        war crimes tribunal, the United States Government should 
        promote judicial procedures that enable the prosecution of the 
        most culpable persons guilty of directing such serious crimes;
            (5) the United States Government should make an immediate 
        priority the collection of information that can be supplied to 
        a Syrian war crimes tribunal for use as evidence to support the 
        indictment and trial of any person involved in civil war in 
        Syria and responsible for war crimes, crimes against humanity, 
        or genocide in Syria; and
            (6) the United States Government should urge other 
        interested states to apprehend and deliver into the custody of 
        a Syrian war crimes tribunal persons indicted for war crimes, 
        crimes against humanity, or genocide in Syria and urge such 
        states to provide information pertaining to such crimes to the 
        tribunal.
                                 <all>