108TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. CON. RES. 363
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas the Syrian Arab Republic is governed by an authori-
tarian regime which continues to commit serious human
rights abuses, including the use of torture and arbitrary
arrest and detention;
Whereas the Department of State’s Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices for 2003 states that Syria ‘‘sig-
nificantly restricts freedom of speech and of the press’’,
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that ‘‘freedom of assembly does not exist under the law’’,
and that ‘‘the Government restricted freedom of associa-
tion’’;
Whereas Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states ‘‘Everyone has the right to freedom of opin-
ion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold
opinions without interference and to seek, receive and im-
part information and ideas through any media and re-
gardless of frontiers.’’;
Whereas Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states ‘‘Everyone has the right to freedom of
peaceful assembly and association.’’;
Whereas Syria’s September 2001 press law permits the gov-
ernment to arbitrarily deny or revoke publishing licenses
for vague reasons and compels media to submit all mate-
rial to government censors;
Whereas Syrian authorities have arrested, or, in the case of
foreigners, expelled two journalists for writing critically
about Syria’s policies;
Whereas Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International
have reported that the security forces of Syria are tar-
geting emerging Syrian human rights organizations, as
well as their attorneys, in an apparent attempt to intimi-
date those organizations;
Whereas on March 8, 2004, Syrian security forces arrested
more than 30 human rights dissidents and civilians at a
sit-in in front of the parliament;
Whereas a United States diplomat who was watching the
peaceful demonstrations was also arrested and held for
an hour in what the United States Government called an
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unacceptable violation of diplomatic practice and which
the United States protested ‘‘in the strongest terms’’;
Whereas Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights states ‘‘All are equal before the law and are enti-
tled without any discrimination to equal protection of the
law.’’;
Whereas the criminal law of Syria provides for reduced sen-
tences in cases of ‘‘honor’’ killings, and spousal rape is
not illegal;
Whereas the infringement by Syria on human rights and civil
liberties extends into the Lebanese Republic, which it
continues to occupy in violation of United Nations Secu-
rity Council resolutions;
Whereas Human Rights Watch, in its 2003 World Report,
stated that ‘‘political activists in Lebanon continued to
demand the withdrawal of all Syrian forces from the
country and organized demonstrations throughout the
year, many of which the internal security forces dispersed
forcibly’’;
Whereas hundreds of Lebanese civilians are believed to have
been killed or ‘‘disappeared’’ by Syrian occupation forces
or its secret police;
Whereas hundreds of Kurdish civilians were injured or killed
in clashes with the Syrian authorities that began on
March 12, 2004, in Qamishli, a city in northeastern
Syria and, according to Syrian Kurdish sources, security
forces used live ammunition against unarmed civilians;
and
Whereas human rights and democracy groups in Syria have
sponsored a petition urging greater freedoms and the re-
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lease of all political prisoners, which has garnered more
than 6,000 signatures: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress—
(1) condemns the consistent pattern of gross
violations of internationally recognized human rights
by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic;
(2) calls on the international community to
adopt a resolution at the upcoming session of the
United Nations General Assembly which details the
dismal human rights record of Syria;
(3) expresses its support for the people of Syria
in their daily struggle for freedom, respect for
human rights and civil liberties, democratic self-gov-
ernance, and the establishment of the rule of law;
(4) encourages the President and the Secretary
of State to reach out to dissidents, human rights ac-
tivists, and the nonviolent democratic opposition in
Syria, and to assist them in their efforts; and
(5) urges the adoption and pursuit of these and
other policies to seek a democratic government in
Syria that will—
(A) bring freedom and democracy to the
people of Syria;
(B) cease the illegal occupation by Syria of
the Lebanese Republic;
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(C) abandon support for terrorism by
Syria;
(D) not pursue research, development, ac-
quisition, production, transfer, or deployment of
biological, chemical, or nuclear weapons, will
provide credible assurances that such behavior
will not be undertaken in the future, and will
agree to allow United Nations and other inter-
national observers to verify such assurances;
and
(E) live in peace and security with the
international community.
Passed the House of Representatives September 13,
2004.
Attest:
Clerk.