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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 196 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 196

Expressing the sense of the Senate on freedom of the press, freedom of 
               speech, and freedom of expression in Iran.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 19, 2009

   Mr. Kaufman (for himself, Mr. Kyl, and Mr. Bunning) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of the Senate on freedom of the press, freedom of 
               speech, and freedom of expression in Iran.

Whereas since the June 12 Iranian presidential elections, there have been 
        increased restrictions on freedom of the press in Iran and limitations 
        on the free flow of information among the Iranian people;
Whereas newspapers and news services have been restricted by the Government of 
        Iran, preventing the publication of specific articles, blocking the 
        transmission of some news broadcasts, and cancelling of foreign press 
        credentials;
Whereas websites and blogs have been blocked in Iran, including social 
        networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter;
Whereas numerous Iranian journalists have been arrested, detained, imprisoned, 
        or assaulted since June 12;
Whereas foreign journalists have been prevented from covering street 
        demonstrations, confined to their hotels, and told their visas would not 
        be renewed;
Whereas non-Iranian government news services, including the Associated Press, 
        have been told they may not distribute Farsi-language reports;
Whereas Iranian journalists were instructed by the Government of Iran to report 
        solely from their offices;
Whereas on June 13, the leading mobile phone operator in Iran, the government-
        owned Telecommunication Company of Iran, was suspended for over 24 
        hours;
Whereas short message service (SMS) in Iran has been blocked, preventing text 
        message communications and blocking internet sites that utilize such 
        services;
Whereas on June 14, an Al-Arabiya correspondent was instructed by the Iranian 
        Ministry of Information to change a story and its Tehran bureau was 
        subsequently closed;
Whereas shortwave and medium wave transmissions of the Farsi-language Radio Free 
        Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) Radio Farda have been partially jammed 
        since June 12; and
Whereas satellite broadcasts, including those of the Voice of America's Persian 
        News Networkand the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), have been 
        intermittently jammed since late May: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) respects the sovereignty, proud history, and rich 
        culture of the Iranian people;
            (2) respects the universal values of freedom of speech and 
        freedom of the press in Iran and throughout the world;
            (3) supports the Iranian people as they take steps to 
        peacefully express their voices, opinions, and aspirations;
            (4) supports the Iranian people seeking access to news and 
        other forms of information;
            (5) condemns the detainment, imprisonment, and intimidation 
        of all journalists, in Iran and elsewhere throughout the world;
            (6) supports journalists who take great risk to report on 
        political events in Iran, including those surrounding the 
        presidential election;
            (7) supports the efforts of the Broadcasting Board of 
        Governors (BBG) to provide credible news and information within 
        Iran through the Voice of America's (VOA) 24-hour television 
        station Persian News Network, and Radio Free Europe/Radio 
        Liberty's (RFE/RL) Radio Farda 24-hour radio station; and
            (8) condemns acts of censorship, intimidation, and other 
        restrictions on freedom of the press, freedom of speech, and 
        freedom of expression in Iran and throughout the world.
                                 <all>
```