[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 52 (Thursday, March 29, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2278-S2279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONDEMNING VIOLENCE BY SYRIA AGAINST JOURNALISTS AND EXPRESSING SENSE
OF THE SENATE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN SYRIA
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 348, S. Res.
391.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 391) condemning violence by the
Government of Syria against journalists, and expressing the
sense of the Senate on freedom of the press in Syria.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution which had been reported by the Committee on Foreign
Relations without amendment and an amendment to the preamble, as
follows:
[Omit the part printed in boldface brackets and insert the part
printed in italic.]
S. Res. 391
[Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1738
(2006) obliges states to ensure the safety of journalists in
war zones;]
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1738
(2006) stresses the obligations of states under international
law to ensure the safety of journalists in war zones;
Whereas, since the uprisings in Syria began in January
2011, the Government of Syria has denied entry to foreign
journalists and arrested, abducted, beaten, tortured, and
killed journalists, photographers, and bloggers to prevent
the free flow of accurate information to the outside world;
Whereas restrictions imposed by the Government of Syria on
media have made it extraordinarily difficult to verify death
tolls and the exact nature and course of events within the
country;
Whereas Syrian state media reports differ significantly
from the few independent reports that make their way out of
Syria;
Whereas Reporters Without Borders, an international
nongovernmental organization that advocates freedom of the
press and freedom of information, has listed Bashar al-Assad
as a Predator of Freedom of the Press;
Whereas the League of Arab States called for the media to
be allowed into Syria during its monitoring mission that was
suspended indefinitely on January 28, 2012, due to the
``critical deterioration of the situation'' in Syria;
Whereas freelance journalist Ferzat Jarban was tortured and
killed on November 19 or 20, 2011, after filming protests in
Al-Qassir, Syria;
Whereas videographer Basil al-Sayed died on December 27,
2011, from a gunshot wound he suffered 5 days earlier at a
checkpoint in the Baba Amr neighborhood in the city of Homs,
Syria;
Whereas Shukri Abu al-Burghul of the state-owned daily Al
Thawra and Radio Damascus died on January 3, 2012, in
Damascus, Syria from a gunshot wound to the head he suffered
four days earlier;
Whereas Gilles Jacquier, a correspondent with France 2
television, was killed in a grenade explosion on January 11,
2012, while covering demonstrations in the city of Homs;
Whereas freelance journalist Mazhar Tayyara, a videographer
and photojournalist who contributed to Agence France-Presse
and other international outlets, was killed by government
forces' fire in the city of Homs on February 4, 2012;
Whereas New York Times correspondent Anthony Shadid died of
an asthma attack on February 16, 2012, while attempting to
leave Syria after reporting inside the country for a week,
gathering information on the Free Syrian Army and other armed
elements of the resistance to the government of President
Bashar al-Assad;
Whereas freelance journalist Rami al-Sayed, who filmed
videos of Syrian security forces' repressive acts, was killed
on February 21, 2012, while covering the bombardment of the
city of Homs by Government of Syria forces;
Whereas journalist Marie Colvin of the Sunday Times, a
United States citizen, and freelance photojournalist Remi
Ochlik were killed on February 22, 2012, after their
makeshift press center in Homs was struck by rockets fired by
Government of Syria forces;
Whereas, on February 22, 2012, Department of State
Spokesman Mark Toner stated, ``[T]oday, we're also clearly
deeply troubled and saddened by reports that American
journalist Marie Colvin and French journalist Remi Ochlik
were killed today in Homs as a result of the intense
shelling, the ongoing intense shelling by the Syrian regime.
. . . We, of course, extend our deepest condolences to their
families and loved ones and just note that their sacrifice in
chronicling the daily suffering of the people of Homs stands
as a testament to journalism's highest standards.'';
Whereas 13 opposition activists in Syria were killed during
a weeklong attempt to rescue 4 foreign journalists, 2 of whom
were injured, who were trapped in Homs as a result of the
bombardment by the Government of Syria that killed Marie
Colvin and Remi Ochlik;
Whereas videographer Anas al-Tarsha, who documented unrest
in the besieged city of Homs, was killed by a mortar round
while filming the bombardment of the city's Qarabees district
on February 24, 2012;
Whereas, from 1992 through 2010, zero journalists were
killed in Syria according to the Committee to Protect
Journalists; and
Whereas the Government of Syria has continued to
arbitrarily arrest and detain prominent Syrian journalists
and bloggers:
Mr. REID. I ask that the Senate now vote on this matter.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the resolution.
The resolution (S. Res. 391) was agreed to.
Mr. REID. I ask unanimous consent that the committee-reported
amendment to the preamble be agreed to; the preamble, as amended, be
agreed to; the motions to reconsider be laid upon the table, with no
intervening action or debate; and any statements relating to the
resolution be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The committee-reported amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, as amended, reads as follows:
S. Res. 391
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1738
(2006) stresses the obligations of states under international
law to ensure the safety of journalists in war zones;
Whereas, since the uprisings in Syria began in January
2011, the Government of Syria has denied entry to foreign
journalists and arrested, abducted, beaten, tortured, and
killed journalists, photographers, and bloggers to prevent
the free flow of accurate information to the outside world;
Whereas restrictions imposed by the Government of Syria on
media have made it extraordinarily difficult to verify death
tolls and the exact nature and course of events within the
country;
Whereas Syrian state media reports differ significantly
from the few independent reports that make their way out of
Syria;
Whereas Reporters Without Borders, an international
nongovernmental organization that advocates freedom of the
press and freedom of information, has listed Bashar al-Assad
as a Predator of Freedom of the Press;
Whereas the League of Arab States called for the media to
be allowed into Syria during its monitoring mission that was
suspended indefinitely on January 28, 2012, due to the
``critical deterioration of the situation'' in Syria;
Whereas freelance journalist Ferzat Jarban was tortured and
killed on November 19 or 20, 2011, after filming protests in
Al-Qassir, Syria;
Whereas videographer Basil al-Sayed died on December 27,
2011, from a gunshot wound he suffered 5 days earlier at a
checkpoint in the Baba Amr neighborhood in the city of Homs,
Syria;
Whereas Shukri Abu al-Burghul of the state-owned daily Al
Thawra and Radio Damascus died on January 3, 2012, in
Damascus, Syria from a gunshot wound to the head he suffered
four days earlier;
Whereas Gilles Jacquier, a correspondent with France 2
television, was killed in a grenade explosion on January 11,
2012, while covering demonstrations in the city of Homs;
Whereas freelance journalist Mazhar Tayyara, a videographer
and photojournalist who contributed to Agence France-Presse
and other international outlets, was killed by government
forces' fire in the city of Homs on February 4, 2012;
Whereas New York Times correspondent Anthony Shadid died of
an asthma attack on February 16, 2012, while attempting to
leave Syria after reporting inside the country for a week,
gathering information on the Free Syrian Army and other armed
elements of the resistance to the government of President
Bashar al-Assad;
Whereas freelance journalist Rami al-Sayed, who filmed
videos of Syrian security forces' repressive acts, was killed
on February 21, 2012, while covering the bombardment of the
city of Homs by Government of Syria forces;
Whereas journalist Marie Colvin of the Sunday Times, a
United States citizen, and freelance photojournalist Remi
Ochlik were killed on February 22, 2012, after their
makeshift press center in Homs was struck by rockets fired by
Government of Syria forces;
Whereas, on February 22, 2012, Department of State
Spokesman Mark Toner stated, ``[T]oday, we're also clearly
deeply troubled and saddened by reports that American
journalist Marie Colvin and French journalist Remi Ochlik
were killed today in Homs as a result of the intense
shelling, the ongoing intense shelling by the Syrian regime.
. . . We,
[[Page S2279]]
of course, extend our deepest condolences to their families
and loved ones and just note that their sacrifice in
chronicling the daily suffering of the people of Homs stands
as a testament to journalism's highest standards.'';
Whereas 13 opposition activists in Syria were killed during
a weeklong attempt to rescue 4 foreign journalists, 2 of whom
were injured, who were trapped in Homs as a result of the
bombardment by the Government of Syria that killed Marie
Colvin and Remi Ochlik;
Whereas videographer Anas al-Tarsha, who documented unrest
in the besieged city of Homs, was killed by a mortar round
while filming the bombardment of the city's Qarabees district
on February 24, 2012;
Whereas, from 1992 through 2010, zero journalists were
killed in Syria according to the Committee to Protect
Journalists; and
Whereas the Government of Syria has continued to
arbitrarily arrest and detain prominent Syrian journalists
and bloggers: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) calls on the Government of Syria to immediately open
the country up to independent and foreign journalists and
immediately end its media blackout;
(2) condemns in the strongest possible terms the Government
of Syria's abuse, intimidation, and violence towards
journalists, videographers, and bloggers;
(3) calls on the Government of Syria to immediately release
all journalists, videographers, and bloggers who have been
detained, arrested, or imprisoned;
(4) pays tribute to the journalists who have lost their
lives while reporting on the conflict in Syria;
(5) commends the bravery and courage of journalists who
continue to operate in harm's way;
(6) supports the people of Syria seeking access to a free
flow of accurate news and other forms of information;
(7) recognizes the critical role that technology plays in
helping independent journalists report the facts on the
ground;
(8) condemns all acts of censorship and other restrictions
on freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and freedom of
expression in Syria;
(9) strongly condemns all nations that assist or enable the
Government of Syria's ongoing repression of the media; and
(10) reaffirms the centrality of press freedom to efforts
by the United States Government to support democracy and
promote good governance around the world.
____________________