III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 409 

Requesting information on Turkey’s human rights practices in Syria pursuant 

to section 502B(c) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 6, 2019 

Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself and Mr. MURPHY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Requesting information on Turkey’s human rights practices 

in Syria pursuant to section 502B(c) of the Foreign 

Assistance Act of 1961. 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ON TURKEY’S 

3 HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES IN SYRIA. 

4 (a) STATEMENT REQUIRED.—Not later than 30 days 

5 after the date of the adoption of this resolution, the Sec6 retary of State shall, pursuant to section 502B(c) of the 

7 Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(c)), 

8 transmit to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the 

9 Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the 

10 House of Representatives a statement, prepared with the 


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•SRES 409 IS 

1 assistance of the Assistant Secretary of State for Democ2 racy, Human Rights, and Labor and the Office of the 

3 Legal Adviser, with respect to Turkey. 

4 (b) ELEMENTS.—The statement submitted under 

5 subsection (a) shall include the following elements: 

6 (1) All available credible information concerning 

7 alleged violations of internationally recognized 

8 human rights by the Government of Turkey, its 

9 armed forces, and associated groups and persons, in10 cluding the denial of the right to life in the context 

11 of their activities in Syria caused by indiscriminate 

12 or disproportionate operations, the infliction of civil13 ian casualties, and the displacement of civilian popu14 lations. 

15 (2) A description of the steps the United States 

16 Government has taken— 

17 (A) to promote respect for and observance 

18 of human rights as part of Turkey’s activities 

19 in Syria and discourage any practices that are 

20 inimical to internationally recognized human 

21 rights; and 

22 (B) to publicly or privately call attention 

23 to, and disassociate the United States and any 

24 security assistance provided for Turkey from, 

25 such practices. 


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•SRES 409 IS 

1 (3) An assessment, notwithstanding any such 

2 practices, whether extraordinary circumstances exist 

3 that necessitate a continuation of security assistance 

4 for Turkey and, if so, a description of the cir5 cumstances and the extent to which the assistance 

6 should be continued (subject to such conditions as 

7 Congress may impose under section 502B of the 

8 Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304)). 

9 (4) Other information, including— 

10 (A) an assessment from the Secretary of 

11 State of the likelihood that United States secu12 rity assistance, as defined in section 502B(d) of 

13 the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 

14 2304(d)), has been and will be used in Syria; 

15 (B) a description of the extent to which 

16 the activities of the Government of Turkey, its 

17 armed forces, and associated groups or persons 

18 have— 

19 (i) caused, assisted, or resulted in the 

20 release of ISIS fighters, supporters, and 

21 other extremists from detention; or 

22 (ii) promoted conditions that support, 

23 assist or have resulted or could result in a 

24 strengthening of the military capabilities of 

25 such fighters and extremists within Syria, 


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•SRES 409 IS 

1 including the practical control over terri2 tory; 

3 (C) a description of the extent to which 

4 such strengthening of such capabilities of ISIS 

5 and other extremist groups and persons could 

6 increase the threat to the United States, United 

7 States citizens, and United States interests, 

8 both in the United States and abroad; 

9 (D) a description of efforts by the Sec10 retary of State and other United States officials 

11 to persuade the Government of Turkey to cease 

12 its activities in Syria and commitments to sup13 port United States and multilateral efforts to 

14 comprehensively defeat ISIS within Syria; 

15 (E) a determination whether Turkey’s pur16 chase and acceptance of delivery of the S–400 

17 missile system from the Russian Federation 

18 constitutes a ‘‘significant transaction’’ pursuant 

19 to section 231 of the Countering America’s Ad20 versaries Through Sanctions Act (22 U.S.C. 

21 9525); 

22 (F) a description of any actions by the 

23 Government of Turkey to forcibly repatriate 

24 Syrian refugees; and 


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1 (G) an assessment of whether the Govern2 ment of Turkey is blocking humanitarian aid 

3 from reaching communities in need of assist4 ance in northeast Syria. 

Æ 


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