[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 93 (Friday, June 19, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S6855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 FREEDOM OF THE PRESS, FREEDOM OF SPEECH, AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN 
                                  IRAN

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we now proceed 
to S. Res. 196.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 196), expressing the sense of the 
     Senate on freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and 
     freedom of expression in Iran.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, that there be no intervening action or debate, and 
any statements relating to this matter be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 196) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 196

       Whereas since the June 12 Iranian presidential elections, 
     there have been increased restrictions on freedom of the 
     press in Iran and limitations on the free flow of information 
     among the Iranian people;
       Whereas newspapers and news services have been restricted 
     by the Government of Iran, preventing the publication of 
     specific articles, blocking the transmission of some news 
     broadcasts, and cancelling of foreign press credentials;
       Whereas websites and blogs have been blocked in Iran, 
     including social networking sites such as Facebook and 
     Twitter;
       Whereas numerous Iranian journalists have been arrested, 
     detained, imprisoned, or assaulted since June 12;
       Whereas foreign journalists have been prevented from 
     covering street demonstrations, confined to their hotels, and 
     told their visas would not be renewed;
       Whereas non-Iranian government news services, including the 
     Associated Press, have been told they may not distribute 
     Farsi-language reports;
       Whereas Iranian journalists were instructed by the 
     Government of Iran to report solely from their offices;
       Whereas on June 13, the leading mobile phone operator in 
     Iran, the government-owned Telecommunication Company of Iran, 
     was suspended for over 24 hours;
       Whereas short message service (SMS) in Iran has been 
     blocked, preventing text message communications and blocking 
     internet sites that utilize such services;
       Whereas on June 14, an Al-Arabiya correspondent was 
     instructed by the Iranian Ministry of Information to change a 
     story and its Tehran bureau was subsequently closed;
       Whereas shortwave and medium wave transmissions of the 
     Farsi-language Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) 
     Radio Farda have been partially jammed since June 12; and
       Whereas satellite broadcasts, including those of the Voice 
     of America's Persian News Networkand the British Broadcasting 
     Corporation (BBC), have been intermittently jammed since late 
     May: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) respects the sovereignty, proud history, and rich 
     culture of the Iranian people;
       (2) respects the universal values of freedom of speech and 
     freedom of the press in Iran and throughout the world;
       (3) supports the Iranian people as they take steps to 
     peacefully express their voices, opinions, and aspirations;
       (4) supports the Iranian people seeking access to news and 
     other forms of information;
       (5) condemns the detainment, imprisonment, and intimidation 
     of all journalists, in Iran and elsewhere throughout the 
     world;
       (6) supports journalists who take great risk to report on 
     political events in Iran, including those surrounding the 
     presidential election;
       (7) supports the efforts of the Broadcasting Board of 
     Governors (BBG) to provide credible news and information 
     within Iran through the Voice of America's (VOA) 24-hour 
     television station Persian News Network, and Radio Free 
     Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Radio Farda 24-hour radio 
     station; and
       (8) condemns acts of censorship, intimidation, and other 
     restrictions on freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and 
     freedom of expression in Iran and throughout the world.

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