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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 149 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 149

Expressing solidarity with the writers, journalists, and librarians of 
 Cuba on World Press Freedom Day and calling for the immediate release 
 of citizens of Cuba imprisoned for exercising rights associated with 
                         freedom of the press.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 14, 2009

 Mr. Martinez (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Graham, Mr. Ensign, Mr. 
    Nelson of Florida, Mr. Voinovich, and Mr. Lugar) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing solidarity with the writers, journalists, and librarians of 
 Cuba on World Press Freedom Day and calling for the immediate release 
 of citizens of Cuba imprisoned for exercising rights associated with 
                         freedom of the press.

Whereas Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides, 
        ``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 the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3 of each year to be 
        ``World Press Freedom Day'' to raise awareness of the importance of 
        freedom of expression and to remind governments of their obligation to 
        respect the rights of free expression and of a free press;
Whereas the United States Department of State, in its 2008 report on human 
        rights in Cuba, notes, ``The government [of Cuba] subjected independent 
        journalists to travel bans, detentions, harassment of family and 
        friends, equipment seizures, imprisonment, and threats of imprisonment. 
        State Security agents posed as independent journalists to gather 
        information on activists and spread misinformation and mistrust within 
        independent journalist circles.'';
Whereas Reporters Without Borders, an international nongovernmental 
        organization, continues to rank Cuba as one of the most repressive 
        countries in the world, and the most repressive country in the Western 
        Hemisphere, with respect to freedom of the press;
Whereas the International Press Institute, a global network of journalists, 
        editors, and media executives, concludes that Cuba ``remains a leading 
        jailer of journalists'';
Whereas International PEN, an international network of writers, has reported 
        that 22 writers, journalists, and librarians were among the individuals 
        arrested and tried during the crackdown by the Government of Cuba on 
        independent civil society activists in the spring of 2003, and 
        subsequently imprisoned;
Whereas International PEN further reports that ``the majority of the detained 
        writers, journalists and librarians are suffering from health complaints 
        caused or exacerbated by the harsh conditions and treatment they are 
        exposed to in prison. Despite their deteriorating health status, access 
        to adequate medical treatment is often limited.''; and
Whereas the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonpartisan international 
        organization of journalists, has identified more than 20 writers, 
        journalists, and librarians in Cuba who remain imprisoned by the 
        Government of Cuba: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) expresses solidarity with--
                    (A) the citizens of Cuba who are suffering 
                harassment, deprivation, or imprisonment for exercising 
                rights associated with freedom of the press and 
                pursuing livelihoods as independent writers, 
                journalists, or librarians; and
                    (B) the family members of those writers, 
                journalists, and librarians; and
            (2) calls on the Government of Cuba to release immediately 
        all writers, journalists, and librarians who are imprisoned for 
        exercising their fundamental human rights, including the 
        citizens of Cuba that have been specifically identified by 
        international organizations that monitor respect for the 
        freedom of the press as being imprisoned by the Government of 
        Cuba.
                                 <all>
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