III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 501 

Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression around the world 

and reaffirming freedom of the press as a priority in efforts of the 

Government of the United States to promote democracy and good governance. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 7, 2018 

Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, and Mr. WYDEN) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing threats to freedom of the press and expression 

around the world and reaffirming freedom of the press 

as a priority in efforts of the Government of the United 

States to promote democracy and good governance. 

Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in Paris, France, on December 10, 1948, states that ‘‘[e]veryone has the right to 

freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes 

freedom to hold opinions without interference and to 

seek, receive and impart information and ideas through 

any media and regardless of frontiers’’; 

Whereas, in 1993, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed May 3 of each year as ‘‘World Press Freedom 

Day’’ to— 


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(1) celebrate the fundamental principles of freedom 

of the press; 

(2) evaluate freedom of the press around the world; 

(3) defend against attacks on the independence of 

the media; and 

(4) pay tribute to journalists who have lost their 

lives in the exercise of their profession; 

Whereas, on December 18, 2013, the United Nations General 

Assembly adopted United Nations General Assembly Resolution 163 (2013) on the safety of journalists and the 

issue of impunity, which unequivocally condemns, in both 

conflict and nonconflict situations, all attacks on and violence against journalists and media workers, including 

torture, extrajudicial killing, enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and intimidation and harassment; 

Whereas the theme for World Press Freedom Day 2018 is 

‘‘Keeping Power in Check: Media, Justice and the Rule 

of Law’’; 

Whereas the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 

(22 U.S.C. 2151 note; Public Law 111–166), which was 

passed by unanimous consent in the Senate and signed 

into law by President Barack Obama in 2010, expanded 

the annual Human Rights Reports of the Department of 

State to include an examination of freedom of the press; 

Whereas the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, published by 

Reporters Without Borders, warned that ‘‘media freedom 

has retreated wherever the authoritarian strongman 

model has triumphed’’; 

Whereas Freedom House noted in the report ‘‘Freedom of 

the Press 2017’’ that— 


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(1) global press freedom has declined to its lowest 

point in 13 years; and 

(2) only 13 percent of the global population enjoys 

a free press, meaning a media environment in which 

‘‘coverage of political news is robust, the safety of journalists is guaranteed, state intrusion in media affairs is 

minimal, and the press is not subject to onerous legal or 

economic pressures’’; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists— 

(1) in 2017— 

(A) the 2 deadliest countries for journalists on 

assignment were Iraq and Syria; 

(B) 46 journalists were killed in cases in which 

the motive for the killing was confirmed to be related to reporting by those journalists; 

(C) 20 journalists were killed in cases in which 

the motive for the killing was unconfirmed; 

(D) there were 21 cases in which journalists 

were jailed for ‘‘false news’’, which represented more 

than double the number of cases in which journalists 

were jailed for ‘‘false news’’ in 2016; and 

(E) the percentage of female journalists who 

were killed in a year was the highest on record; 

(2) the most dangerous subject for a journalist to 

report is politics, followed only then by war; and 

(3) as of December 1, 2017, 262 journalists worldwide were imprisoned for their work, marking the second 

consecutive year that the number of journalists imprisoned for their work hit a historic high; 


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Whereas freedom of the press is a key component of democratic governance, activism in civil society, and socioeconomic development; and 

Whereas freedom of the press enhances public accountability, 

transparency, and participation in civil society and democratic governance: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) expresses concern about the threats to free3 dom of the press and expression around the world; 

4 (2) welcomes the celebration of World Press 

5 Freedom Day 2018 on May 3, 2018; 

6 (3) commends journalists and media workers 

7 around the world for their essential role in pro8 moting government accountability, defending demo9 cratic activity, and strengthening civil society, de10 spite threats to the safety of those journalists and 

11 media workers; 

12 (4) pays tribute to journalists who have lost 

13 their lives carrying out their work; 

14 (5) calls on governments abroad to implement 

15 United Nations General Assembly Resolution 163 

16 (2013) on the safety of journalists and the issue of 

17 impunity by thoroughly investigating and seeking to 

18 resolve outstanding cases of violence against journal19 ists, including murders and kidnappings, while en20 suring the protection of witnesses; 


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1 (6) condemns all actions around the world that 

2 suppress freedom of the press; 

3 (7) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the 

4 press to efforts of the Government of the United 

5 States to support democracy, mitigate conflict, and 

6 promote good governance domestically and around 

7 the world; and 

8 (8) calls on the President and the Secretary of 

9 State to— 

10 (A) on the basis of the protections afforded 

11 under the First Amendment to the Constitution 

12 of the United States, preserve and build upon 

13 the leadership of the United States on issues 

14 relating to freedom of the press; 

15 (B) improve the means by which the Gov16 ernment of the United States rapidly identifies, 

17 publicizes, and responds to threats against free18 dom of the press around the world; 

19 (C) urge foreign governments to conduct 

20 transparent investigations and adjudications of 

21 the perpetrators of attacks against journalists; 

22 and 

23 (D) highlight the issue of threats against 

24 freedom of the press— 


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1 (i) in the annual Human Rights Re2 ports of the Department of State; and 

3 (ii) throughout the year. 

Æ 


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