III 

Calendar No. 440 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 447 

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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 15, 2014 

Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. RUBIO, and Mrs. SHAHEEN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JUNE 25, 2014 

Reported by Mr. MENENDEZ, with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[Strike the preamble and insert the part printed in italic] 

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. 

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 


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•SRES 447 RS 

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 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, on December 18, 2013, the United Nations General 

Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/68/163) on the 

safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, which unequivocally condemns all attacks and violence against 

journalists and media workers, including torture, 

extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary 

detention, and intimidation and harassment in both conflict and non-conflict situations; 

Whereas 2014 is the 21st anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, which focuses on the theme ‘‘Media Freedom 

for a Better Future: Shaping the Post-2015 Development 

Agenda’’; 

Whereas the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act of 2009 

(Public Law 111–16622; U.S.C. 2151 note), 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; 


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•SRES 447 RS 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, 71 journalists and 39 citizen journalists were killed in 2013 in 

connection with their collection and dissemination of 

news and information; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

the 3 deadliest countries for journalists on assignment in 

2013 were Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, and in Syria, the 

deadliest country for such journalists, an unprecedented 

number of journalists were abducted; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

617 journalists have been murdered since 1992 without 

the perpetrators of such crimes facing punishment; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

the 5 countries with the highest number of unsolved journalist murders are Iraq, the Philippines, Algeria, Colombia, and Somalia; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, 826 journalists and 127 citizen journalists were arrested in 2013; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

211 journalists worldwide were in prison on December 1, 

2013; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the 5 

countries with the highest number of journalists in prison 

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

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the Government of Syria and extremist rebel militias have intentionally targeted journalists, causing dramatic repercussions for the freedom of the press throughout the region; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has engaged in an unprecedented campaign to silence the indeVerDate Mar 15 2010 21:32 Jun 25, 2014 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR447.RS SR447

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pendent press and undermine freedom of expression, including its recent efforts to destabilize Ukraine; 

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

Whereas freedom of the press enhances public accountability, 

transparency, and participation: Now, therefore, be it 

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’’; 

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, on December 18, 2013, the United Nations General 

Assembly adopted a resolution (A/RES/68/163) on the safety of journalists and the issue of impunity, which unequivocally condemns all attacks and violence against journalists and media workers, including torture, extrajudicial 

killings, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detention, and 

intimidation and harassment in both conflict and nonconflict situations; 

Whereas 2014 is the 21st anniversary of World Press Freedom 

Day, which focuses on the theme ‘‘Media Freedom for a 


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•SRES 447 RS 

Better Future: Shaping the Post-2015 Development Agenda’’; 

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 Reporters Without Borders, 71 journalists and 39 citizen journalists were killed in 2013 in connection with their collection and dissemination of news 

and information; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

the 3 deadliest countries for journalists on assignment in 

2013 were Syria, Iraq, and Egypt, and in Syria, the 

deadliest country for such journalists, an unprecedented 

number of journalists were abducted; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

617 journalists have been murdered since 1992 without the 

perpetrators of such crimes facing punishment; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

the 5 countries with the highest number of unpunished 

journalist murders between 2004 to 2013 are Iraq, Somalia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Syria; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, 826 journalists and 127 citizen journalists were arrested in 2013; 

Whereas, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, 

211 journalists worldwide were in prison on December 1, 

2013; 


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•SRES 447 RS 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the 5 countries with the highest number of journalists in prison are 

Syria, China, Eritrea, Turkey, and Iran; 

Whereas, according to Reporters Without Borders, the Government of Syria and extremist rebel militias have intentionally targeted professional and citizen journalists, causing dramatic repercussions for the freedom of the press 

throughout the region; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has engaged in an unprecedented campaign to silence the independent press and undermine freedom of expression, including its recent efforts to destabilize Ukraine; 

Whereas Reporters Without Borders has expressed concern that 

journalists in Cuba have suffered physical attacks, arbitrary detention, and death threats, and have been prevented access to information; 

Whereas Freedom House has cited a deteriorating environment 

for internet freedom around the world and has ranked 

Iran, Cuba, China, Syria, and Ethiopia as having the 

worst obstacles to access, limits on content, and violations 

of user rights among the countries and territories rated by 

Freedom House as ‘‘Not Free’’; 

Whereas freedom of the press is a key component of democratic 

governance, the activism of civil society, and socioeconomic 

development; 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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1 following World Press Freedom Day, held on May 3, 

2 2014; 

3 (2) commends journalists and media workers 

4 around the world for their essential role in pro5 moting government accountability, defending demo6 cratic activity, and strengthening civil society, de7 spite threats to their safety; 

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

9 their lives carrying out their work; 

10 (4) calls on governments abroad to implement 

11 United Nations General Assembly Resolution (A/ 

12 RES/68/163), by thoroughly investigating and seek13 ing to resolve outstanding cases of violence against 

14 journalists, including murders and kidnappings, 

15 while ensuring the protection of witnesses; 

16 (5) condemns all actions around the world that 

17 suppress freedom of the press, such as the recent 

18 kidnappings of journalists and media workers in 

19 eastern Ukraine by pro-Russian militant groups; 

20 (6) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the 

21 press to efforts by the United States Government to 

22 support democracy, mitigate conflict, and promote 

23 good governance domestically and around the world; 

24 and 


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1 (7) calls on the President and the Secretary of 

2 State— 

3 (A) to improve the means by which the 

4 United States Government rapidly identifies, 

5 publicizes, and responds to threats against free6 dom of the press around the world; 

7 (B) to urge foreign governments to trans8 parently investigate and bring to justice the 

9 perpetrators of attacks against journalists; and 

10 (C) to highlight the issue of threats 

11 against freedom of the press year-round. 

12 That the Senate— 

13 (1) expresses concern about the threats to freedom 

14 of the press and expression around the world fol15 lowing World Press Freedom Day, held on May 3, 

16 2014; 

17 (2) commends journalists and media workers 

18 around the world for their essential role in promoting 

19 government accountability, defending democratic ac20 tivity, and strengthening civil society, despite threats 

21 to their safety; 

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

23 their lives carrying out their work; 

24 (4) calls on governments abroad to implement 

25 United Nations General Assembly Resolution (A/ 


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1 RES/68/163), by thoroughly investigating and seeking 

2 to resolve outstanding cases of violence against jour3 nalists, including murders and kidnappings, while 

4 ensuring the protection of witnesses; 

5 (5) condemns all actions around the world that 

6 suppress freedom of the press, such as the recent 

7 kidnappings of journalists and media workers in east8 ern Ukraine by pro-Russian militant groups; 

9 (6) reaffirms the centrality of freedom of the 

10 press to efforts by the United States Government to 

11 support democracy, mitigate conflict, and promote 

12 good governance domestically and around the world; 

13 and 

14 (7) calls on the President and the Secretary of 

15 State— 

16 (A) to ensure that the United States Gov17 ernment rapidly identifies, publicizes, and re18 sponds to threats against freedom of the press 

19 around the world; 

20 (B) to continue to urge foreign governments 

21 to transparently investigate and bring to justice 

22 the perpetrators of attacks against journalists; 

23 and 

24 (C) to continue to highlight the issue of 

25 threats against freedom of the press year-round. 


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Calendar No. 440 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 447 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the threats to freedom of the press and 

mocracy and good governance. of the United States Government to promote defreedom of the press as a priority in the efforts expression around the world and reaffirming 

JUNE 25, 2014 

Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the 

preamble 


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