Bill Summary
This legislation is a resolution requesting information on the human rights practices of the Government of Turkey. It requires the Secretary of State to submit a report to the Senate and House of Representatives within 30 days, detailing all available information on human rights violations in Turkey and steps taken by the United States government to promote and protect human rights in the country. The report must also include information on the use of US-made F-16s by Turkey in the South Caucasus, Syria, Libya, and Iraq and steps taken by the US to discourage any inimical practices in those regions. The purpose of this legislation is to hold the Government of Turkey accountable for any violations of internationally recognized human rights and to determine if continued security assistance to the country is in the national interest of the United States.
Possible Impacts
1. The legislation could affect people in Turkey by potentially bringing attention to human rights violations committed by the Turkish government, such as arbitrary arrests and torture. This could lead to increased pressure on the government to improve their human rights practices.
2. The legislation could also affect people in the United States by potentially limiting or suspending security assistance to Turkey if the government is found to be violating human rights. This could impact the relationship between the two countries and potentially affect the safety and security of individuals in both countries.
3. The legislation could also affect people in other countries, such as Syria, Libya, and Iraq, if the United States takes action to discourage practices that are deemed inimical to human rights in those regions. This could potentially lead to improved human rights conditions for individuals living in these areas.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 755 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 755
Requesting information on the Government of Turkey's human rights
practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
October 22 (legislative day, October 19), 2020
Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Casey, Mr. Markey, Mr.
Durbin, Mr. Booker, and Mr. Reed) submitted the following resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Requesting information on the Government of Turkey's human rights
practices pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of
1961.
Resolved,
SECTION 1. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON THE GOVERNMENT OF TURKEY'S HUMAN
RIGHTS PRACTICES.
(a) Statement Required.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the adoption of this resolution, the Secretary of State shall, pursuant
to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C.
2304(c)), transmit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate
and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives a
statement, prepared with the assistance of the Assistant Secretary of
State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, with respect to Turkey.
(b) Elements.--The statement submitted under subsection (a) shall
include the following elements:
(1) All the available information about observance of and
respect for human rights and fundamental freedom in Turkey, and
a detailed description of practices by the Government of Turkey
with respect thereto, including alleged violations of such
rights and freedoms by the Government of Turkey, including--
(A) arbitrary killings;
(B) suspicious deaths of persons in detention;
(C) forced disappearances;
(D) torture;
(E) arbitrary arrest and detention without charges
and trial;
(F) restrictions on freedom of expression, the
press, and the internet;
(G) restrictions on freedoms of assembly,
association, and movement;
(H) refoulement of refugees; and
(I) discrimination and violence against women,
minorities, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
and intersex (LGBTI) persons.
(2) The steps the United States Government has taken to--
(A) promote respect for and observance of human
rights in Turkey and to discourage any practices in
Turkey that are inimical to internationally recognized
human rights; and
(B) publicly or privately call attention to, and to
disassociate the United States and any security
assistance provided for Turkey from such practices.
(3) Whether, in the opinion of the Secretary of State,
notwithstanding any such practices, extraordinary circumstances
exist that necessitate a continuation of security assistance
for Turkey and, if so, a description of the circumstances and
the extent to which the assistance should be continued (subject
to such conditions as Congress may impose under section 502B of
the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304)), and all
the facts pursuant to which it is in the national interest of
the United States to provide such assistance.
(4) Other information, including--
(A) all available credible information concerning
alleged violations of internationally recognized human
rights or international humanitarian law by the
Government of Turkey, its armed forces, and associated
groups and persons in the South Caucasus, Syria, Libya,
and Iraq, including through indiscriminate or
disproportionate attacks, the displacement of civilian
populations, and attacks on civilian infrastructure and
houses of worship;
(B) whether United States-built F-16s have been
used by the Government of Turkey in the South Caucasus
since conflict in the region escalated on September 27,
2020, in a manner inimical to internationally
recognized human rights; and
(C) a description of the steps the United States
has taken to--
(i) discourage any practices by the
Government of Turkey, its armed forces, or
associated groups or persons in the South
Caucasus, Syria, Libya, or Iraq that are
inimical to internationally recognized human
rights; and
(ii) publicly or privately call attention
to, and disassociate the United States and any
security assistance provided to the Government
of Turkey from such practices in the South
Caucasus, Syria, Libya, or Iraq.
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