[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 41 (Tuesday, April 4, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2805-S2806]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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  SENATE RESOLUTION 421--CALLING ON THE GOVERNMENT OF AFGHANISTAN TO 
  UPHOLD FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED 
           STATES TO PROMOTE RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN AFGHANISTAN

  Mr. DURBIN (for himself, Mr. Biden, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. 
Kerry, Mr. Salazar, Mr. Lautenberg, Mr. Harkin, Mr. Nelson of Florida, 
Mr. Inhofe, and Mr. Coleman) submitted the following resolution; which 
was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 421

       Whereas under the Taliban Government of Afghanistan, 
     individuals convicted of promoting faiths other than Islam, 
     or expressing interpretations of Islam differing from the 
     prevailing orthodoxy, could be imprisoned and those 
     converting from Islam could be tortured and publicly 
     executed;
       Whereas the United States has more than 22,000 members of 
     the Armed Forces stationed in Afghanistan and whereas 282 
     members of the Armed Forces have given their lives in 
     Afghanistan since Operation Enduring Freedom began in that 
     country;
       Whereas Abdul Rahman, a citizen of Afghanistan, was 
     arrested and accused of apostasy for converting to 
     Christianity 16 years ago and threatened with execution;
       Whereas the prosecutor in this case, Abdul Wasi, stated in 
     court that Abdul Rahman ``is known as a microbe in society, 
     and he should be cut off and removed from the rest of Muslim 
     society and should be killed.'';
       Whereas, while it was a welcome development that charges 
     against Abdul Rahman were dropped, he was forced to seek 
     asylum in Italy;
       Whereas, despite his release, religious freedom and those 
     who would practice it in Afghanistan remain in jeopardy;
       Whereas religious freedom is a fundamental principle of 
     democracy;
       Whereas the Constitution of Afghanistan does not fully 
     guarantee freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or 
     belief;
       Whereas, on several occasions throughout Afghanistan's 
     constitution drafting process, the United States Commission 
     on International Religious Freedom raised concerns that the 
     constitution's ambiguity on issues of conversion and 
     religious expression could lead to unjust criminal 
     accusations against Muslims and non-Muslims alike;
       Whereas charges of blasphemy since 2002 have justified 
     those concerns;
       Whereas the International Religious Freedom Report 2005 
     published by the Department of State does not list 
     Afghanistan among those countries cited for ``State Hostility 
     Toward Minority or Nonapproved Religions'', ``State Neglect 
     of Societal Discrimination or Abuses Against Religious 
     Groups'', or ``Discriminatory Legislation or Policies 
     Prejudicial to Certain Religions'' and notes that ``[t]he new 
     Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the 
     Government generally respected this right in practice'';
       Whereas the International Religious Freedom Report 2005 
     states that conversion from Islam is ``in theory - punishable 
     by death'' in Afghanistan;
       Whereas the case of Abdul Rahman, other instances of 
     religious persecution or discrimination against minorities, 
     and ambiguities within the Constitution of Afghanistan appear 
     to warrant closer scrutiny in the International Religious 
     Freedom Report 2006; and
       Whereas Afghanistan is a party to the International 
     Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which reads in part, 
     ``Everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, 
     conscience and religion. This right shall include freedom to 
     have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice, and 
     freedom, either individually or in community with others and 
     in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in 
     worship, observance, practice and teaching.'': Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate--
       (A) recognizes freedom of religion as a central tenet of 
     democracy;
       (B) respects the right of the people of Afghanistan to 
     self-government, while strongly urging the Government of 
     Afghanistan to respect all universally recognized human 
     rights;
       (C) condemns the arrest of Abdul Rahman and other instances 
     of religious persecution in Afghanistan;

[[Page S2806]]

       (D) commends the dropping of charges against Abdul Rahman; 
     and
       (E) strongly urges the Government of Afghanistan to 
     consider the importance of religious freedom for the broader 
     relationship between the United States and Afghanistan; and
       (2) it is the sense of the Senate that the President and 
     the President's representatives should--
       (A) in both public and private fora, raise concerns at the 
     highest levels with the Government of Afghanistan regarding 
     the violations of internationally recognized human rights, 
     including the right to freedom of religion or belief, in 
     Afghanistan; and
       (B) ensure that the International Religious Freedom Report 
     2006 for Afghanistan fully addresses the issue of religious 
     persecution in that country, including the arrest of Abdul 
     Rahman.

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