[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 74 (Thursday, May 14, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S5538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

  Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 149, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 149) expressing solidarity with the 
     writers, journalists and librarians of Cuba on World Press 
     Freedom Day and calling for the immediate release of citizens 
     of Cuba imprisoned for exercising rights associated with 
     freedom of the press.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DODD. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 149) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 149

       Whereas Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human 
     Rights provides, ``Everyone 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 the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 
     of each year to be ``World Press Freedom Day'' to raise 
     awareness of the importance of freedom of expression and to 
     remind governments of their obligation to respect the rights 
     of free expression and of a free press;
       Whereas the United States Department of State, in its 2008 
     report on human rights in Cuba, notes, ``The government [of 
     Cuba] subjected independent journalists to travel bans, 
     detentions, harassment of family and friends, equipment 
     seizures, imprisonment, and threats of imprisonment. State 
     Security agents posed as independent journalists to gather 
     information on activists and spread misinformation and 
     mistrust within independent journalist circles.'';
       Whereas Reporters Without Borders, an international 
     nongovernmental organization, continues to rank Cuba as one 
     of the most repressive countries in the world, and the most 
     repressive country in the Western Hemisphere, with respect to 
     freedom of the press;
       Whereas the International Press Institute, a global network 
     of journalists, editors, and media executives, concludes that 
     Cuba ``remains a leading jailer of journalists'';
       Whereas International PEN, an international network of 
     writers, has reported that 22 writers, journalists, and 
     librarians were among the individuals arrested and tried 
     during the crackdown by the Government of Cuba on independent 
     civil society activists in the spring of 2003, and 
     subsequently imprisoned;
       Whereas International PEN further reports that ``the 
     majority of the detained writers, journalists and librarians 
     are suffering from health complaints caused or exacerbated by 
     the harsh conditions and treatment they are exposed to in 
     prison. Despite their deteriorating health status, access to 
     adequate medical treatment is often limited.''; and
       Whereas the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonpartisan 
     international organization of journalists, has identified 
     more than 20 writers, journalists, and librarians in Cuba who 
     remain imprisoned by the Government of Cuba: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) expresses solidarity with--
       (A) the citizens of Cuba who are suffering harassment, 
     deprivation, or imprisonment for exercising rights associated 
     with freedom of the press and pursuing livelihoods as 
     independent writers, journalists, or librarians; and
       (B) the family members of those writers, journalists, and 
     librarians; and
       (2) calls on the Government of Cuba to release immediately 
     all writers, journalists, and librarians who are imprisoned 
     for exercising their fundamental human rights, including the 
     citizens of Cuba that have been specifically identified by 
     international organizations that monitor respect for the 
     freedom of the press as being imprisoned by the Government of 
     Cuba.

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