[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 204 (Thursday, December 3, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H6084-H6086]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




CONDEMNING POLITICALLY MOTIVATED IMPRISONMENT AND CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE 
          RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 958) condemning the practice of politically 
motivated imprisonment and calling for the immediate release of 
political prisoners in the Russian Federation and urging action by the 
United States Government to impose sanctions with respect to persons 
responsible for that form of human rights abuse, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 958

       Whereas the right to liberty and security of a person and 
     the protection from arbitrary imprisonment are among the 
     principal human rights guaranteed by Article 9 of the 
     International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 
     23 of the Concluding Document of the Vienna Meeting of the 
     Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Article 
     5 of the European Convention on Human Rights;
       Whereas the Russian Federation, as member of the United 
     Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
     Europe (OSCE), and the Council of Europe, is bound by 
     international commitments with regard to human rights and the 
     rule of law;

[[Page H6085]]

       Whereas, on October 3, 2012, the Parliamentary Assembly of 
     the Council of Europe adopted Resolution 1900 (2012) which 
     defined anyone whose ``detention has been imposed in 
     violation of one of the fundamental guarantees set out in the 
     European Convention on Human Rights and its Protocols'' and 
     ``is the result of proceedings which were clearly unfair and 
     . . . appears to be connected with political motives of the 
     authorities'' as a political prisoner;
       Whereas based on the criteria of the Parliamentary Assembly 
     of the Council of Europe Resolution 1900 (2012), the Memorial 
     Human Rights Center, a Russian nongovernmental organization, 
     estimates that there are currently more than 300 political 
     prisoners in the Russian Federation, a six-fold increase 
     since 2015;
       Whereas the Memorial Human Rights Center list of Russian 
     political prisoners includes journalists, civil society 
     activists, human rights advocates, participants of peaceful 
     organizations, and Ukrainian citizens from illegally annexed 
     Crimea;
       Whereas the Russian Federation's longest-detained political 
     prisoner, Alexey Pichugin, has been incarcerated since June 
     19, 2003, in violation of two rulings by the European Court 
     of Human Rights and the opinion by the United Nations Working 
     Group on Arbitrary Detention;
       Whereas investigative journalist and former editor of the 
     independent newspaper Noviye Kolyosa, Igor Rudnikov was held 
     in pretrial detention from November 1, 2017, until June 17, 
     2019, on alleged extortion charges, which were later dropped 
     by the court;
       Whereas Igor Rudnikov's detention and charges were 
     criticized by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media 
     and Reporters without Borders, calling them ``clearly 
     trumped-up'' and ``an act of political revenge'', 
     respectively;
       Whereas opposition activist Konstantin Kotov was sentenced 
     to 1.5 years imprisonment on April 20, 2020, for 
     participating in peaceful demonstrations, in a ruling Amnesty 
     International has described as ``a profound injustice'';
       Whereas Anastasia Shevchenko, an activist in the Open 
     Russia movement, has been held under house arrest since 
     January 23, 2019, on the charge of belonging to an 
     ``undesirable'' organization and has been designated by 
     Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience;
       Whereas Yuri Dmitriev, a leader of Memorial Society's 
     branch in the Republic of Karelia region of the Russian 
     Federation who has worked to document mass burial sites from 
     Stalin-era executions, has been held in detention since June 
     28, 2018, on charges of child pornography that Human Rights 
     Watch has described as ``bogus'' and part of an ongoing 
     ``smear campaign'', and was sentenced to 13 years in prison 
     on September 29, 2020;
       Whereas Dennis Christensen, a Jehovah's Witness and a 
     Danish citizen, was sentenced to 6 years' imprisonment on 
     February 6, 2019, in a decision condemned by the United 
     States Commission on International Religious Freedom as part 
     of the broader pattern of the Russian Government ``engaging 
     in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom'';
       Whereas, on February 10, 2020, 7 activists from Russia's 
     Penza Oblast were sentenced to terms of 6 to 18 years for 
     alleged membership in a terrorist group following a detention 
     marked by torture, ill-treatment to extract confessions, and 
     periods held incommunicado;
       Whereas Human Rights Watch described the case as an example 
     of the Russian authorities ``abusing counterterrorism laws to 
     silence critics and deny fundamental human rights'';
       Whereas, on August 6, 2020, a court in Moscow sentenced 
     seven activists to between four years suspended and sevem 
     years in prison for participating in an alleged extremist 
     organization, ``The New Greatness'', after an investigation 
     marked by the use of provocateurs, torture, ill-treatment, 
     and forced confessions, in what the Memorial Human Rights 
     Center and the Moscow Helsinki Group have described as a 
     ``politically motivated case'' aimed at ``suppressing the 
     freedom of expression'';
       Whereas, on June 18, 2019, the Department of State affirmed 
     that ``the United States is deeply concerned by the growing 
     number of individuals . . . identified by credible human 
     rights organizations as political and religious prisoners 
     held by the Government of the Russian Federation'' and called 
     on the Government of the Russian Federation ``to release all 
     those identified as political or religious prisoners 
     immediately and cease its use of the legal system to suppress 
     dissent and peaceful religious practice'';
       Whereas, on January 28, 2020, 43 parliamentarians from 16 
     European countries introduced a Resolution in the 
     Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to appoint a 
     rapporteur ``to examine the growing crisis with politically 
     motivated imprisonments in the Russian Federation''; and
       Whereas, on June 29, 2020, the Parliamentary Assembly of 
     the Council of Europe's Legal Affairs Committee appointed 
     Icelandic lawmaker Thorhildur Sunna Aevarsdottir to serve as 
     the rapporteur on political prisoners in Russia: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) condemns the practice of politically motivated 
     imprisonment in the Russian Federation that violates the 
     country's international obligations on human rights and the 
     rule of law and expresses its solidarity with all those 
     unjustly imprisoned in the Russian Federation;
       (2) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to 
     immediately release individuals designated by the Memorial 
     Human Rights Center as political prisoners under the criteria 
     of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe 
     Resolution 1900 (2012), including Alexey Pichugin, Konstantin 
     Kotov, Anastasia Shevchenko, Yuri Dmitriev, and Dennis 
     Christensen;
       (3) urges the United States Government, in all its 
     interactions with the Government of the Russian Federation, 
     to raise individual cases of Russian political prisoners and 
     advocate for their release; and
       (4) calls on the Secretary of State and the Secretary of 
     the Treasury to use their authority under the Sergei 
     Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (title IV of 
     Public Law 112-208), the Global Magnitsky Human Rights 
     Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 
     114-328), and other applicable United States statutory 
     authorities to designate officials of the Government of the 
     Russian Federation who are responsible for human rights 
     abuses in the form of politically motivated imprisonment.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H. Res. 958.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 958, which condemns 
politically motivated imprisonment by the Russian Government and calls 
for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Russia.
  According to the Memorial Human Rights Center, there are more than 
300 political prisoners in Russia today. These prisoners are human 
rights advocates, journalists, Ukrainians from Crimea, and American 
citizens like Paul Whelan and Trevor Reed.
  It has been common practice for the Kremlin to target opposition 
figures as an act of political revenge. Russian authorities regularly 
abuse counterterrorism laws and Interpol's Red Notice system to silence 
critics and deny them fundamental human rights.
  We must not only condemn these abuses, but we must increase the 
economic and political cost for Russian officials who engage in unjust 
imprisonments and political retaliation.
  This resolution calls on the Departments of State and Treasury to use 
the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 and the 
Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act to pursue Russia 
officials who are responsible for or complicit in politically motivated 
imprisonment. I remember in 2012, we all worked together to put this 
very important law on the books.
  No one deserves to be used as a political pawn by Vladimir Putin. It 
is critical that Congress strongly condemns and takes action against 
Russia's wrongful imprisonments.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this measure, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. McCAUL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I have said many times that Vladimir Putin is not our 
friend. Under his command, the Russian Government has invaded Georgia, 
started a war with Ukraine, assisted Bashar al-Assad's murderous 
campaign in Syria, and meddled in our elections.
  But he is not just a threat to international security. Vladimir Putin 
is an enemy of democracy. We know this by his brutal actions that he 
has taken against his own people.
  Over the last 20 years, under Putin's control, Moscow has chipped 
away at the few political freedoms once enjoyed in Russia. Media 
outlets have been shut down; political parties have been attacked; 
opposition figures have been assassinated; and activists have been 
thrown in jail.
  This is not the future that so many in Russia had hoped for when the 
Iron Curtain was lifted. Now, hundreds of

[[Page H6086]]

political prisoners occupy cells in Russian jails. They aren't there 
because they are bad people. They aren't there because they are real 
criminals. They are there because Vladimir Putin is afraid of them. He 
doesn't want them to challenge his authority. He doesn't want them to 
have a voice.
  Today, we have a chance to provide a voice for the people Putin has 
tried to silence. This resolution condemns the practice of jailing 
individuals for political purposes and calls for the release of all 
political prisoners in Russia. It also urges the administration to 
impose sanctions on Russian officials who are complicit in human rights 
abuses.
  Once again, I want to thank my good friend, Chairman Engel, for 
introducing this bill. He has been a great champion for victims of 
tyranny his entire career. I am grateful for all of his hard work.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume for 
the purpose of closing.
  Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank my friend, the ranking member of 
the Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. McCaul. It has been a pleasure 
working closely with him on so many pieces of legislation. I know that 
the work will continue, and we will continue to keep in touch and make 
sure that we go the right way in trying to stop these human rights 
abuses all over the world.
  The number of political prisoners in Russia has increased by sixfold 
since the year 2015. This is what we have come to expect from Vladimir 
Putin's Russia: Blatant disregard for human rights and rule of law.
  The United States must stand firm against Russia's practice of 
politically motivated imprisonment and impose sanctions against anyone 
responsible for these human rights abuses. It is really important that 
the U.S. Congress stand up and do this. It is really important that we 
do it, regardless of political party.
  It is really important to send Putin a message that we are not going 
to sit idly by and allow him to do his bad work. He has interfered with 
our elections. He has tried again. He succeeded some of the time; he 
didn't succeed in other times. But we want him to stay away, and we 
want the people of Russia to have a government where they can feel 
free, not one where they feel the boot on their neck all the time.
  We need to stand firm against Russia's practice of politically 
motivated imprisonment and impose sanctions against anyone, even Putin, 
responsible for these human rights abuses.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge Members to support H. Res. 958, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a member of the Tom Lantos 
Commission for Human Rights and a former member of the Commission on 
Security and Cooperation in Europe, I rise in strong support of this 
bipartisan resolution, H. Res. 958, ``Condemning the practice of 
politically motivated imprisonment and calling for the immediate 
release of political prisoners in the Russian Federation and urging 
action by the United States Government to impose sanctions with respect 
to persons responsible for that form of human rights abuse.''
  For years, Russia's human rights record has continued to deteriorate, 
with the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful 
assembly consistently restricted, both by law and in practice.
  Most often, the people who are courageous enough to attempt 
exercising their most basic human rights, including freedom of the 
press and freedom of speech, face reprisals, ranging from harassment to 
police ill-treatment, arbitrary arrest, heavy fines, and, in some 
cases, criminal prosecution and imprisonment.
  Among the Kremlin's political prisoners are journalists, opposition 
activists, peaceful protesters, adherents of ``prohibited'' religious 
groups, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, as well as members of 
``undesirable'' political organizations like Open Russia, an 
organization that has done a lot to support victims of human rights 
violations in Russia.
  In fact, several human rights defenders and NGOs have been targeted 
within Russia under the laws on ``foreign agents'' and ``undesirable 
organizations''.
  Mr. Speaker, this resolution seeks to do three things:
  Condemn the practice of politically motivated imprisonment by the 
Russian government, particularly under the leadership of President 
Vladimir Putin;
  Call for the immediate release of those designated as political 
prisoners in the Russian Federation; and
  Urge the current Administration to impose sanctions on those 
responsible for these human rights abuses using the Sergei Magnitsky 
Rule of Law Accountability Act, the Global Magnitsky Human Rights 
Accountability Act, or other authorities.
  By passing this resolution today, we are sending a bipartisan message 
to the Russian Government that we see the violations of human rights 
that are occurring, and we will not stand idly by while people who are 
fighting for progress are tortured and ill-treated.
  Furthermore, counter-terrorism provisions are widely used to target 
dissent across the country and in Crimea, and torture tactics remain 
pervasive, as does impunity for its perpetrators.
  Last year, due to the growing disconnect between the authorities and 
general public, there was an increase in street protests, ranging from 
political to economic to social and even to environmental issues.
  In July and August of 2019, more than 2,600 people were arrested 
during protests in Moscow, which had remained peaceful until the police 
and National Guard officers forcibly intervened.
  According to Amnesty International, there were numerous reports of 
arbitrary arrest, use of excessive, as well as indiscriminate force and 
ill-treatment of protesters by the officers, but none of these cases 
were known to have been investigated.
  As a fierce defender of human rights and the world's oldest 
democracy, the United States has a duty to the world to speak up in the 
face of injustice and when violations of international commitments, 
including the incarceration of political prisoners, occur.
  It is our responsibility as Members of Congress to pass this 
resolution today in order to urge the Russian Federation to release its 
political prisoners and respect the basic human rights of its citizens.
  I urge all Members on both sides of the aisle to join me in voting 
for H. Res. 958, ``Condemning the practice of politically motivated 
imprisonment and calling for the immediate release of political 
prisoners in the Russian Federation and urging action by the United 
States Government to impose sanctions with respect to persons 
responsible for that form of human rights abuse.''
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 958, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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