III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 407 

Recognizing the critical work of human rights defenders in promoting human 

rights, the rule of law, democracy, and good governance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 15, 2018 

Mr. COONS (for himself and Mr. TILLIS) submitted the following resolution; 

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the critical work of human rights defenders in 

promoting human rights, the rule of law, democracy, 

and good governance. 

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’’; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•SRES 407 IS 

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— 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•SRES 407 IS 

(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 United States 

to ‘‘the human rights guaranteed to all individuals 

around the world’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) commends human rights defenders for their 

3 critical work in promoting human rights, the rule of 

4 law, democracy, and good governance; 

5 (2) recognizes the rights of human rights de6 fenders to the freedoms of association, assembly, 

7 and expression, including the rights of those individ8 uals to collect and publish data on government 

9 abuses; 

10 (3) condemns all threats to— 

11 (A) human rights defenders; and 

12 (B) the work of human rights defenders in 

13 promoting universally recognized human rights; 

14 (4) welcomes the imposition of sanctions by the 

15 President, on December 21, 2017, and under the 

16 Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act 

17 (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114–328; 22 

18 U.S.C. 2656 note), with respect to human rights 

19 abusers and corrupt actors; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
4 

•SRES 407 IS 

1 (5) encourages all countries to recognize their 

2 duties under the Declaration on the Right and Re3 sponsibility of Individuals, Groups and Organs of 

4 Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recog5 nized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, 

6 adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 

7 December 9, 1998, to ‘‘protect, promote and imple8 ment all human rights and fundamental freedoms’’; 

9 and 

10 (6) calls on the President and Secretary of 

11 State to maintain leadership by the United States in 

12 promoting human rights. 

Æ 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS