[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 69 (Monday, April 24, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S2483]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                         Release of Aya Hijazi

  Mr. RUBIO. Mr. President, as a part of my office's ``Expression NOT 
Oppression'' initiative, I come to the floor today to highlight once 
again both a good news story with regard to human rights and a 
continuing challenge.
  First let me begin by highlighting the good news. Aya Hijazi, whom I 
have spoken about before on the floor, is an American-Egyptian citizen 
whom Egyptian officials had imprisoned on trumped-up charges almost 3 
years ago. She was released, and she was able to return home to the 
United States last week. I am pleased that she was set free, as are 
many of my colleagues in the Senate who had been calling for the 
Egyptian authorities to release her. I know this was a topic of 
conversation during Egyptian President Elsisi's visit to the United 
States 3 weeks ago.
  I want to also take this moment to thank the Trump administration for 
working to ensure her freedom. They were instrumental--in fact, they 
were key in this being possible. They made it a priority in their 
private engagements with regard to President Elsisi.
  Sadly, there are still many more political prisoners who remain 
jailed in Egypt. We here in Congress as well as the administration 
should continue to raise these issues with the Egyptian Government 
until all of them are released, regardless of their citizenship status.
  As the leader of the free world, the United States must work to 
safeguard the freedoms and liberties of all people. We must speak 
frankly with our allies, with our partners around the world, and we 
must work with governments to improve their human rights records.
  It is ultimately in America's national security interests to have 
stable democracies that observe the impartial rule of law and that 
respect the rights of their people.