[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 152 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 152

 Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression around the 
world and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in efforts of 
 the United States Government to promote democracy and good governance.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 28, 2015

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

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression around the 
world and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in efforts of 
 the United States Government to promote democracy and good governance.

Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 
        adopted in Paris, France, on December 10, 1948, states that ``[e]veryone 
        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 in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 3 of each 
        year as ``World Press Freedom Day'' to celebrate the fundamental 
        principles of freedom of the press, evaluate freedom of the press around 
        the world, defend against attacks on the independence of the media, and 
        pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of 
        their profession;
Whereas, on December 18, 2013, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a 
        resolution (United Nations General Assembly Resolution 163 (2013)) on 
        the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, that unequivocally 
        condemns, in both conflict and nonconflict situations, all attacks on 
        and violence against journalists and media workers, including torture, 
        extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and 
        intimidation and harassment;
Whereas 2015 is the 22nd anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, which focuses 
        on the theme ``Let Journalism Thrive! Towards Better Reporting, Gender 
        Equality, and Media Safety in the Digital Age'';
Whereas the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 (22 U.S.C. 2151 note; 
        Public Law 111-166), which was passed by unanimous consent in the Senate 
        and signed into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, expanded the 
        annual Human Rights Reports of the Department of State to include the 
        examination of freedom of the press;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, in 2014, freedom of the press 
        suffered a ``drastic decline'' across all continents;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, in 2014, 69 journalists and 19 
        citizen-journalists were killed in connection with the collection and 
        dissemination of news and information;
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, in 2014, the 3 
        deadliest countries for journalists on assignment were Syria, Ukraine, 
        and Iraq;
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, more than 40 percent 
        of the journalists killed in 2014 had been targeted for murder and 31 
        percent of journalists murdered had reported receiving threats;
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 650 journalists were 
        killed between 1992 and April 2015 and the perpetrators have not been 
        punished;
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the 5 countries with 
        the highest number of unpunished journalist murders between 2004 and 
        2014 are Iraq, Somalia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Syria;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, in 2014, 853 journalists and 
        122 citizen-journalists were arrested;
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, as of December 1, 
        2014, 221 journalists worldwide were in prison;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the 5 countries with the 
        highest number of journalists in prison as of December 8, 2014, were 
        China, Eritrea, Iran, Egypt, and Syria;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, in 2014, the 5 countries with 
        the highest number of journalists threatened or attacked were Ukraine, 
        Venezuela, Turkey, Libya, and China;
Whereas, according to the 2015 World Press Freedom Index of Reporters Without 
        Borders, Eritrea, North Korea, Turkmenistan, Syria, and China were the 
        countries ranked lowest with respect to ``media pluralism and 
        independence, respect for the safety and freedom of journalists, and the 
        legislative, institutional and infrastructural environment in which the 
        media operate'';
Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, in 2014, Syria was 
        the world's deadliest country for journalists for the third year in a 
        row;
Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the Government of the Russian 
        Federation continued to pressure the media to control independent news 
        outlets to an extent that may lead to the termination of the outlets;
Whereas Freedom House has cited a deteriorating environment for Internet freedom 
        around the world and in 2014 ranked Iran, Syria, China, Cuba, and 
        Ethiopia as the countries having the worst obstacles to access, limits 
        on content, and violations of user rights among countries and 
        territories rated by Freedom House as ``Not Free'';
Whereas freedom of the press is a key component of democratic governance, 
        activism in civil society, and socioeconomic development; and
Whereas freedom of the press enhances public accountability, transparency, and 
        participation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses concern about the threats to freedom of the 
        press and expression around the world following World Press 
        Freedom Day on May 3, 2015;
            (2) commends journalists and media workers around the world 
        for their essential role in promoting government 
        accountability, defending democratic activity, and 
        strengthening civil society, despite threats to their safety;
            (3) pays tribute to journalists who have lost their lives 
        carrying out their work;
            (4) calls on governments abroad to implement United Nations 
        General Assembly Resolution 163 (2013);
            (5) condemns all actions around the world that suppress 
        freedom of the press, including: brutal murders of journalists 
        by the terrorist group Islamic State in Syria, violent attacks 
        against media outlets such as the French satirical magazine 
        Charlie Hebdo, and the kidnappings of journalists and media 
        workers by pro-Russian militant groups in eastern Ukraine;
            (6) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the press to 
        efforts of the United States Government to support democracy, 
        mitigate conflict, and promote good governance domestically and 
        around the world; and
            (7) calls on the President and the Secretary of State--
                    (A) to improve the means by which the United States 
                Government rapidly identifies, publicizes, and responds 
                to threats against freedom of the press around the 
                world;
                    (B) to urge foreign governments to conduct 
                transparent investigations and adjudications of the 
                perpetrators of attacks against journalists; and
                    (C) to highlight the issue of threats against 
                freedom of the press year round.
                                 <all>