[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 49 (Thursday, March 27, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Page S1832]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 403--CONDEMNING THE ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT OF 
 TURKEY IN RESTRICTING FREE EXPRESSION AND INTERNET FREEDOM ON SOCIAL 
                                 MEDIA

  Mr. MURPHY (for himself and Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                              S. Res. 403

       Whereas an independent, unfettered media and freedom of 
     expression, including on the Internet and social media sites, 
     are essential elements of democratic, open societies;
       Whereas infringement of press freedom in Turkey is a 
     serious concern, with more journalists currently imprisoned 
     in Turkey than in any other country;
       Whereas millions of people in Turkey, including senior 
     members of the Government of Turkey, use Twitter and other 
     social media sites to communicate on a daily basis;
       Whereas the Government of Turkey imposed a country-wide ban 
     on access to Twitter on March 20, 2014, blocking the use of 
     the communications platform to engage in political speech;
       Whereas respected nongovernmental organizations such as 
     Amnesty International, Reporters Without Borders, and Freedom 
     House have condemned the decision to block Twitter as an 
     attack on Internet freedom and freedom of expression in 
     Turkey;
       Whereas the President of Turkey, Abdullah Gul, defied the 
     ban to send out a series of tweets questioning the 
     government's actions;
       Whereas the Turkish Bar Association argued that the ban is 
     unconstitutional and in violation of Turkish and European 
     human rights laws; and
       Whereas, on March 26, 2014, the district court in Ankara, 
     Turkey, blocked implementation of the ban because it may 
     restrict the freedoms of expression and communication, which 
     are protected by the Turkish Constitution and the European 
     Convention of Human Rights: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the Government of Turkey's restrictions on 
     freedom of the press, freedom of expression, and Internet 
     freedom;
       (2) recognizes the critical role that technology and social 
     media sites play in helping independent journalists and the 
     general public to communicate and access information;
       (3) reaffirms the centrality of Internet freedom to efforts 
     by the United States Government to support democracy and 
     promote good governance around the world; and
       (4) calls on the Government of Turkey to immediately end 
     its restrictions on media freedom, including social media, 
     and restore access to Twitter.

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