[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 151 (Tuesday, September 19, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5853-S5854]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   PROTECTING CIVIL SOCIETY ACTIVISTS

  Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, I want to speak briefly about a provision 
that was included for the first time by myself and Senator Lindsey 
Graham in the fiscal year 2018 Department of State and Foreign 
Operations appropriations bill, which was reported unanimously by the 
Senate Appropriations Committee on September 7.
  Specifically, the committee-reported bill includes $15 million to 
implement a U.S. interagency strategy, led by the Assistant Secretary 
of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, to

[[Page S5854]]

support and protect civil society activists, including human rights and 
environmental defenders and independent journalists, in countries where 
such activists have been threatened or killed for peacefully exercising 
their rights of free expression, association, and assembly.
  Nearly 1,000 violations were reported against human rights defenders 
in 2016, including killings, detentions, judicial prosecutions, 
physical attacks, and other threats and harassments. Civil society 
activists are targeted by both state and nonstate actors, including 
private companies and investors, seeking to obstruct the rights of 
voters, minorities, landowners, environmentalists, indigenous peoples, 
and refugees, among other vulnerable groups. These attacks are not 
limited to a particular region or a handful of countries--they are 
common in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East--nor are 
they limited to countries with authoritarian governments, such as 
Cambodia, Rwanda, Eritrea, Egypt, and Russia. Democratically elected 
governments are also culpable, such as Honduras, Philippines, Kenya, 
Ecuador, and Turkey. Ultimately, democracy cannot survive if the rights 
of civil society and the independent media are not protected.
  Last year was the deadliest year on record for land and environmental 
defenders. There were more deaths reported in more countries than ever 
before. Competition for land and natural resources has intensified to 
an alltime high, with companies around the globe putting greater 
emphasis on profit margins than on environmental protection or land 
ownership rights. As these pressures increase, the risk to civil 
society activists will also increase.
  Similarly, although the number of journalists killed on assignment 
dropped slightly in 2016, the number of journalists in prison reached 
its highest level yet. More than 250 journalists are imprisoned 
worldwide because of their work. This is an egregious violation of the 
universal right of free expression.
  These statistics are almost certainly underestimates, given the 
suppressions of free speech and lack of transparent and effective 
judicial systems in many countries where civil society activists face 
the most severe threats to their work and lives.
  It is important for all of us to be aware of the growing threats to 
civil society activists worldwide, as well as the relevant funding and 
language included in the committee-reported Department of State and 
Foreign Operations appropriations bill. This should be the first step 
in developing an interagency strategy to focus attention and resources 
on this critical problem.
  I ask unanimous consent that the language in the committee report 
describing this provision be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

     SEC. 7032. DEMOCRACY PROGRAMS.

       Protection of Civil Society Activists.--For purposes of 
     developing the strategy and allocating funds under subsection 
     (j), the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human 
     Rights, and Labor shall consult with the Committee and with 
     representatives of civil society and independent media 
     organizations whose members have been threatened or killed. 
     The uses of funds shall include strengthening the capacity of 
     such organizations, protecting their members who have been 
     threatened, supporting the enactment of laws to protect 
     freedoms of expression, association, and assembly, and 
     educating the public about the legitimate role of such 
     activists and journalists in society.

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