[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 68 (Thursday, May 8, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5977-S5978]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CONDEMNING THE PUNISHMENT OF EXECUTION BY STONING

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 78, S. Con. Res. 
26.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 26) condemning the 
     punishment of execution by stoning as a gross violation of 
     human rights, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution and the preamble be agreed to; that the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate; and that 
any statements relating to the concurrent resolution be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 26) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

[[Page S5978]]

                            S. Con. Res. 26

       Whereas execution by stoning is an exceptionally cruel form 
     of punishment that violates internationally accepted 
     standards of human rights, including those set forth in the 
     Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International 
     Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention 
     Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading 
     Treatment or Punishment;
       Whereas women around the world continue to be targeted 
     disproportionately for cruel, discriminatory, and inhuman 
     punishments by governments that refuse to protect equally the 
     rights of all their citizens;
       Whereas the brutal sentence of execution by stoning is 
     pronounced in many countries on women who have been accused 
     of adultery, a charge that is brought even against victims of 
     coerced prostitution or rape;
       Whereas in some places execution by stoning has been 
     invoked as punishment for ``blasphemy,'' thereby suppressing 
     religious freedom and diversity and stifling political 
     dissent;
       Whereas, in July 2002, Amnesty International referred to 
     execution by stoning as ``a method specifically designed to 
     increase the victim's suffering'';
       Whereas, in 2002, the European Union, the Secretary General 
     of the Council of Europe, the Government of Australia, the 
     Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, the 
     President of Mexico, the Congress of Deputies of Spain, and 
     other world leaders all condemned execution by stoning and 
     called for clemency for individuals sentenced to stoning; and
       Whereas, according to the Country Reports on Human Rights 
     Practices of the Department of State, the sentence of 
     execution by stoning continues to be imposed in several 
     countries: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) condemns the practice of execution by stoning as a 
     gross violation of human rights and appeals to the 
     international community to end the practice;
       (2) requests the President formally to communicate this 
     resolution to governments that permit this cruel punishment 
     and to urge the termination of execution by stoning; and
       (3) requests the President to direct the Secretary of State 
     to work with the international community to promote adherence 
     to international standards of human rights and repeal laws 
     that permit execution by stoning.

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