III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 613 

Requesting a report on the observance of and respect for human rights 

and fundamental freedom in Saudi Arabia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

AUGUST 22, 2018 

Mr. MERKLEY (for himself, Ms. WARREN, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, 

Mr. WYDEN, Mr. SANDERS, and Mr. LEAHY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Requesting a report on the observance of and respect for 

human rights and fundamental freedom in Saudi Arabia. 

Whereas, in July 2018, the Government of Saudi Arabia detained prominent women rights activists Samar Badawi 

and Nassima al-Sada; 

Whereas the United States Department of State presented 

Ms. Badawi with the 2012 International Women of Courage Award in recognition of her efforts with regard to the 

discriminatory male guardianship system in Saudi Arabia; 

Whereas the Department of State has declined to express solidarity with the Government of Canada, which reacted 

appropriately to news of the detention of Ms. Badawi and 

Ms. al-Sada in expressing that it was ‘‘gravely concerned 


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•SRES 613 IS 

about additional arrests of civil society and women’s 

rights activists’’ and calling upon ‘‘Saudi authorities to 

immediately release them and all other peaceful humanrights activists’’; 

Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia reacted disproportionately to criticism by the Government of Canada by 

taking extreme retaliatory measures, including— 

(1) expelling the Ambassador of Canada to Saudi 

Arabia and recalling the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to 

Canada; 

(2) ordering the return of citizens of Saudi Arabia 

living in Canada, including more than 1,000 medical students; 

(3) shutting off new bilateral trade and investment 

with Canada; and 

(4) terminating direct commercial flights on Saudi 

Arabian air carriers between Saudi Arabia and Canada; 

Whereas Canada is an indispensable ally in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that shares the commitment of 

the United States to equal rights and the rule of law and, 

in defense of shared interests and values, Canada has 

fought and sacrificed alongside the United States in each 

of the World Wars and has contributed to Missions of the 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization in Afghanistan, the 

Balkans, Libya, and Central and Eastern Europe; 

Whereas the arrest of Ms. Badawi and Ms. al-Sada, as well 

as the ongoing detention of countless others such as 

blogger Raif Badawi and human rights lawyer Waleed 

Abu al-Khair, is part of a disturbing pattern of human 

rights violations committed by the Government of Saudi 

Arabia, which are documented in more than 50 pages of 


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•SRES 613 IS 

the 2017 Human Rights Report of the Department of 

State; 

Whereas, among the human rights violations by the Government of Saudi Arabia documented in that report, are unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary arrest and detention, restrictions on freedom of expression, violence and official 

gender discrimination against women, and criminalization 

of same-sex sexual activity; 

Whereas the office of the United Nations High Commissioner 

for Refugees assesses that airstrikes carried out by Saudi 

Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in Yemen accounted for 80 percent of all civilian casualties from December 2017 to May 2018 in the 5 governorates of 

Yemen most affected by fighting; and 

Whereas section 502B(a)(2) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 

1961 (22 U.S.C. 2304(a)(2)) states that ‘‘no security assistance may be provided to any country the government 

of which engages in a consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights’’: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That— 

2 (1) it is the sense of the Senate that— 

3 (A) the President should offer public sup4 port to Canada by calling upon the Government 

5 of Saudi Arabia to release Samar Badawi, 

6 Nassima al-Sada, Raif Badawi, Waleed Abu al7 Khair, and all other peaceful human rights ac8 tivists, journalists, and religious minorities held 


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•SRES 613 IS 

1 in detention by that Government on dubious 

2 charges; and 

3 (B) the arrest of women’s rights activists 

4 and their supporters since May 2018 is con5 trary to the stated goals of the Government of 

6 Saudi Arabia; and 

7 (2) the Senate requests, pursuant to section 

8 502B(c)(1) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 

9 (22 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1)), that the Secretary of State 

10 submit to Congress a statement, as required by that 

11 section, setting forth all the available information 

12 about observance of and respect for human rights 

13 and fundamental freedom in Saudi Arabia. 

Æ 


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