III 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 143 

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

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

of the United States Government to promote democracy and good governance on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, 2013. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 16, 2013 

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

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

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

press as a priority in the efforts of the United States 

Government to promote democracy and good governance 

on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on May 

3, 2013. 

Whereas Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted at Paris December 10, 

1948, states that ‘‘everyone 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’’; 


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•SRES 143 IS 

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

to celebrate the fundamental principles of freedom of the 

press, to evaluate freedom of the press around the world, 

to defend the media from attacks on its independence, 

and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives 

in the exercise of their profession; 

Whereas 2013 is the 20th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, which focuses on the theme ‘‘Safe to Speak: 

Securing Freedom of Expression in All Media’’; 

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 examination of freedom of the press around the world 

in the annual human rights report of the Department of 

State; 

Whereas, according to Freedom House, the percentage of 

people in the world who live in countries with a free 

media environment fell to 14 percent in 2012, the lowest 

percentage in more than a decade; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, 88 journalists and 47 citizen journalists were killed in 2012 in 

connection with their collection and dissemination of 

news and information, an increase of 33 percent and 840 

percent, respectively, compared to 2011; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the five 

deadliest countries for journalists in 2012 were Syria, Somalia, Pakistan, Mexico, and Brazil; 


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•SRES 143 IS 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

593 journalists have been murdered since 1992 without 

the perpetrators of those crimes facing punishment; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

the five countries with the highest number of unsolved 

journalist murders since 2003 as a percentage of the population of that country are Iraq, Somalia, Philippines, Sri 

Lanka, and Colombia; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, 879 journalists and 144 citizen journalists were arrested in 2012; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

there were a record 232 journalists in prison worldwide 

on December 1, 2012; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the five 

countries in which the most journalists are imprisoned 

are Turkey, China, Eritrea, Iran, and Syria; 

Whereas the abuse of anti-terrorism and cybercrime laws to 

incarcerate journalists and suppress freedom of the press 

occurred on numerous occasions abroad in 2012; 

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

Whereas, in the ongoing political transition of Burma, notable progress was made in advancing freedom of the press 

in 2012, although certain problems remain; and 

Whereas freedom of the press enhances public accountability, 

transparency, and participation: 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 


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•SRES 143 IS 

1 on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 

2 May 3, 2013; 

3 (2) commends journalists around the world for 

4 the essential role they play in promoting government 

5 accountability, defending democratic activity, and 

6 strengthening civil society, despite threats to their 

7 safety; 

8 (3) pays tribute to the journalists who have lost 

9 their lives carrying out their work and calls on gov10 ernments abroad to thoroughly investigate and seek 

11 to resolve all cases while ensuring the protection of 

12 witnesses; 

13 (4) condemns all actions around the world that 

14 suppress freedom of the press; 

15 (5) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the 

16 press to efforts by the United States Government to 

17 support democracy, mitigate conflict, and promote 

18 good governance domestically and around the world; 

19 and 

20 (6) calls on the President and the Secretary of 

21 State— 

22 (A) to improve the means by which the 

23 United States Government rapidly identifies, 

24 publicizes, and responds to threats against free25 dom of the press around the world; and 


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•SRES 143 IS 

1 (B) to highlight the issue of threats 

2 against freedom of the press year-round. 

Æ 


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