Bill Summary
This resolution expresses the Senate's concern about the practice of politically motivated imprisonment of women around the world and calls on governments to release women who are being held as political prisoners. It references various articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to highlight the violation of basic human rights in these cases. The resolution also mentions specific countries where women activists, journalists, and human rights defenders have been unjustly detained, and urges the US government to raise these cases and advocate for their release.
Possible Impacts
1. The legislation could potentially lead to increased pressure and scrutiny from the international community on governments who are known to detain women for political reasons, potentially leading to the release of these women and other political prisoners.
2. The legislation could also bring attention to the issue of gender-based discrimination and oppression, specifically targeting women who are working towards defending human rights and promoting progress in their communities.
3. The legislation could potentially lead to changes in foreign policy and diplomatic relations between the US and other countries, as the government is urged to raise individual cases and press for the release of women political prisoners.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 724 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
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116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 724
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the practice of
politically motivated imprisonment of women around the world and
calling on governments for the immediate release of women who are
political prisoners.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
September 24, 2020
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Coons, Mr. Cardin, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mr.
Kaine) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the practice of
politically motivated imprisonment of women around the world and
calling on governments for the immediate release of women who are
political prisoners.
Whereas Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees the
right to liberty and security of person, Article 9 protects against
arbitrary arrest or detention, and Article 18 guarantees the right to
freedom of thought, conscience, and religion;
Whereas women across the world face enormous risks to advance human rights and
pursue progress for their communities, including--
(1) discriminatory policies and attitudes;
(2) repressive governments;
(3) abusive authorities; and
(4) critical threats to their health, especially amid the COVID-19
pandemic;
Whereas women activists across the world are being unjustly detained in order to
silence their voices and end their activism;
Whereas women journalists are being unjustly detained for speaking truth to
power and exposing corruption and abuses by governments and other
authorities;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic presents a severe threat to women who are detained
unjustly and who are often housed in overcrowded prisons with limited
access to medical care, which can convert unjust prison sentences into
death sentences for vulnerable detained women;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has waged a brutal campaign to suppress
political dissent and vibrant ethnic minority communities;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has suppressed and detained human rights
legal professionals, including Li Yuhan, who has been severely
mistreated in detention and who went on a hunger strike in 2018;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has subjected Uyghurs in Xinjiang to mass
surveillance, forced labor, forced birth control, forced sterilization,
and extrajudicial internment, including--
(1) Rahile Dawut, a professor of traditional Uyghur culture;
(2) Gulmira Imin, a former website administrator and government
employee; and
(3) Nigare Abdushukur, who was sentenced to 19 years imprisonment after
inquiring about her mother's detention;
Whereas the People's Republic of China has targeted Tibetans for celebrating
their heritage, including--
(1) Bonkho Kyi, who was detained for organizing a picnic celebration
for His Holiness the Dalai Lama's 80th birthday; and
(2) Yeshe Choedron, who was sentenced in 2008 to 15 years imprisonment
after participating in protests;
Whereas in Iran, human rights defenders have been steadfast in their advocacy
despite repeated abuse and arrest by authorities, including currently
detained human rights activists--
(1) Nasrin Sotoudeh, who spoke out against the death penalty and laws
forcing women to wear hijabs and who is currently on a hunger strike and is
in critical condition;
(2) Atena Daemi, a human rights activist who is serving an additional 2
years in prison and facing 74 lashes for participating in a peaceful sit-in
protest in Evin prison; and
(3) Narges Mohammadi, vice president of the Centre for Human Rights
Defenders, who has experienced severe health conditions and lung disease
while in prison and has suffered from worsening COVID-19 symptoms since
June 29, 2020;
Whereas Iranian authorities have also recently arrested and imprisoned
environmentalists working for the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation,
including Sepideh Kashami and McGill University graduate Niloufar
Bayani, who previously worked for the United Nations Environment
Programme;
Whereas Turkey is the world's second worst jailer of journalists, with 47
journalists imprisoned in 2019, including--
(1) Hatice Duman, owner and editor at Atilim, which published
editorials condemning President Erdogan's policies; and
(2) Aysenur Parildak and Hanim Busra Erdal, journalists for Zaman,
which authorities claim has ties to Fethulaah Gulen;
Whereas in Egypt, President Sisi has attempted to quash dissent by jailing and
abusing human rights defenders, including--
(1) Mahienour el-Masry, a human rights lawyer accused of spreading
``false news'';
(2) Esraa Abdel Fattah, a human rights activist and reporter who was
reportedly beaten, hung from handcuffs, and choked with her clothes by
authorities; and
(3) Sanaa Seif, who was detained while filing a complaint at the Public
Prosecutor's office regarding her assault outside Cairo's Tora prison,
which houses her brother, who is a political activist;
Whereas Burundian authorities arrested and convicted 4 journalists at Iwacu,
Burundi's last remaining independent newspaper, including Christine
Kamikazi and Agnes Ndirubusa, after a flawed trial, for allegedly
attempting to undermine state security;
Whereas Saudi Arabian women's rights and human rights activists Loujain al-
Hathloul, Nassima al-Sada, Samar Badawi, Nouf Abdualziz, and Maya'a al-
Zahrani all remain wrongfully imprisoned;
Whereas in the Philippines, Senator Leila de Lima remains unjustly imprisoned
for her vocal criticism of extrajudicial killings carried out during
President Duterte's ``war on drugs'';
Whereas in Eritrea, political dissident Aster Fissehatsion has been held
incommunicado without charge or trial since 2001:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) supports women who are being unjustly detained around
the world;
(2) affirms that a government should never detain its
citizens for exercising the rights of freedom of assembly,
association, and speech;
(3) calls on governments that are unjustly detaining women
for exercising their fundamental rights to immediately and
unconditionally release these political prisoners; and
(4) urges the United States Government, in all its
interactions with foreign governments--
(A) to raise individual cases of women political
prisoners; and
(B) press for their immediate release.
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