IV 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 296 
Expressing support for peaceful demonstrations and universal freedoms in 
Syria and condemning the human rights violations by the Assad Regime. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 3, 2011 
Mr. LAMBORN (for himself, Mr. DEUTCH, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. SCHOCK, Mr. 
KING of Iowa, Mr. LANCE, Mr. WALSH of Illinois, Mr. FRANKS of Ari-
zona, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. POSEY, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. VISCLOSKY, Mr. 
HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. PETERS, Mr. CARTER, and Mr. TERRY) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for peaceful demonstrations and universal 
freedoms in Syria and condemning the human rights 
violations by the Assad Regime. 
Whereas, in March 2011, large-scale peaceful demonstrations 
began to take place in Syria; 
Whereas the Government of Syria, led by President Bashar 
al-Assad, responded to protests by launching a violent 
crackdown, committing human rights abuses, and vio-
lating its international obligations, including the Inter-
national Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) 
and the United Nations Convention against Torture and 
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•HRES 296 IH 
Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Pun-
ishment; 
Whereas demonstrations have now spread to more than a 
dozen towns and cities across all parts of Syria; 
Whereas demonstrators initially demanded political reform, 
but under violent attack by the Government of Syria, 
have increasingly demanded a change in the Syrian re-
gime; 
Whereas Insan, a respected international nongovernmental 
organization, has documented more than 600 deaths 
since demonstrations began in Syria, and reported that 
‘‘arbitrary detained and enforceable disappearance in the 
country easily exceeds 8,000 people’’; 
Whereas the Government of Syria has deployed tanks and 
snipers against civilian population centers, including the 
cities of Daraa and Baniyas, and the Damascus suburbs 
of Douma, Harasta, Saqba, and Zabadani; 
Whereas the Government of Syria has cut off civilian popu-
lation centers from access to food, water, electricity, mo-
bile and land lines, Internet, and medical services; 
Whereas several respected international human rights organi-
zations, including Human Rights Watch and the Damas-
cus Center for Human Rights Studies, have documented 
a nationwide campaign of arbitrary arrests and enforced 
disappearances of activists, protesters, and their family 
members, by the Government of Syria; 
Whereas the International Crisis Group, an independent 
international nongovernmental organization, reported on 
May 3, 2011, that there is ‘‘ongoing, credible evidence’’ 
in Syria of ‘‘abundant instances of excessive and indis-
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•HRES 296 IH 
criminate state violence . . . including arbitrary arrests, 
torture and firing into peaceful crowds’’; 
Whereas the International Crisis Group has also reported a 
‘‘determined and cynical attempt to exploit and exacer-
bate’’ sectarian tensions by the Government of Syria; 
Whereas, despite sectarian provocations by the Government 
of Syria, demonstrations have maintained a message of 
national unity and solidarity; 
Whereas, on April 15, 2011, the United Nations Special 
Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, Christof Heyns, 
stated that live ammunition has been used by the Syrian 
regime against demonstrators ‘‘in clear violation of inter-
national law’’; 
Whereas international organizations, including Amnesty 
International and Human Rights Watch, have docu-
mented evidence that peaceful protestors detained by 
Government of Syria security forces are being subjected 
to torture, including with electro-shock devices, cables, 
sticks, and whips, and are being held in overcrowded 
cells, deprived of sleep, food, and water for days at a 
time; 
Whereas international non-governmental organizations, in-
cluding the International Committee on the Red Cross 
and Human Rights Watch, have reported that Govern-
ment of Syria security forces have prevented injured pro-
testers from accessing hospitals and have denied medical 
personnel and humanitarian relief organizations access to 
those in need of medical attention; 
Whereas the Government of Iran is providing material sup-
port to assist the Government of Syria in its efforts to 
suppress peaceful protestors, including the transfer of 
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