[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 30 (Thursday, February 15, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1166-S1167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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 SENATE RESOLUTION 407--RECOGNIZING THE CRITICAL WORK OF HUMAN RIGHTS 
 DEFENDERS IN PROMOTING HUMAN RIGHTS, THE RULE OF LAW, DEMOCRACY, AND 
                            GOOD GOVERNANCE

  Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. Tillis) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 407

       Whereas the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of 
     Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and 
     Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental 
     Freedoms (referred to in this preamble as the ``Declaration 
     on Human Rights Defenders'')--
       (1) was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 
     December 9, 1998; and
       (2) states that, ``Everyone has the right 
     . . . to promote and to strive for the protection and 
     realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms at the 
     national and international levels'';
       Whereas the Department of State defines ``human rights 
     defenders'' as ``individuals, working alone or in groups, who 
     non-violently advocate for the promotion and protection of 
     universally recognized human rights and fundamental 
     freedoms'';
       Whereas the Senate supports the right of human rights 
     defenders all over the world to promote the fundamental 
     freedoms enshrined in--
       (1) the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted at 
     Paris on December 10, 1948; and
       (2) human rights treaties;
       Whereas human rights defenders protect the rights of 
     vulnerable individuals and groups;
       Whereas, according to Amnesty International, an estimated 
     3,500 human rights defenders have been murdered since the 
     adoption of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders;
       Whereas, in certain parts of the world, the work of human 
     rights defenders is threatened through--
       (1) restrictions on--
          (A) the press; and
          (B) the freedoms of expression, assembly, and 
     association;
       (2) smear campaigns;
       (3) arbitrary detentions;
       (4) laws restricting the funding and registration of human 
     rights organizations;
       (5) physical attacks;
       (6) enforced disappearances;
       (7) impunity with respect to crimes committed against human 
     rights defenders; and
       (8) abuses of--
          (A) antiterrorism legislation; and
          (B) states of emergency; and
       Whereas, in the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 
     for 2016 of the Department of State, Secretary of State Rex 
     Tillerson noted the commitment of the

[[Page S1167]]

     United States to ``the human rights guaranteed to all 
     individuals around the world'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) commends human rights defenders for their critical work 
     in promoting human rights, the rule of law, democracy, and 
     good governance;
       (2) recognizes the rights of human rights defenders to the 
     freedoms of association, assembly, and expression, including 
     the rights of those individuals to collect and publish data 
     on government abuses;
       (3) condemns all threats to--
       (A) human rights defenders; and
       (B) the work of human rights defenders in promoting 
     universally recognized human rights;
       (4) welcomes the imposition of sanctions by the President, 
     on December 21, 2017, and under the Global Magnitsky Human 
     Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public 
     Law 114-328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note), with respect to human 
     rights abusers and corrupt actors;
       (5) encourages all countries to recognize their duties 
     under the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of 
     Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and 
     Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental 
     Freedoms, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 
     December 9, 1998, to ``protect, promote and implement all 
     human rights and fundamental freedoms''; and
       (6) calls on the President and Secretary of State to 
     maintain leadership by the United States in promoting human 
     rights.

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