IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 18
Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the continuing gross 
violations of human rights and civil liberties of the Syrian and Lebanese 
people by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 6, 2005
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself and Mr. ENGEL) submitted the following con-
current resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International 
Relations 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the con-
tinuing gross violations of human rights and civil lib-
erties of the Syrian and Lebanese people by the Govern-
ment of the Syrian Arab Republic.
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’’, 
that ‘‘freedom of assembly does not exist under the law’’, 
and that ‘‘the Government restricted freedom of associa-
tion’’;
•HCON 18 IH 
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 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 called an 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-
•HCON 18 IH 
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; 
Whereas Syrian authorities are attempting to imprison 
Aktham Naisse, Syria’s leading human rights activist, 
who has been charged with spreading false information, 
forming an underground association with links to inter-
national human rights groups, and opposing the ruling 
Baath party; 
Whereas in November 2004, upon his release from prison, 
Kamal Labwani, a 48-year-old physician in Syria, stated
•HCON 18 IH 
that there are at least 400 political prisoners in Syria, 
100 of whom have been jailed for at least 20 years; 
Whereas Mr. Labwani urged ‘‘all defenders of freedom and 
human rights, whether individuals, associations, bodies or 
international, Arab, or local organizations to participate 
with us in this campaign to call for the immediate release 
of all political prisoners and detainees of opinion and con-
science’’; 
Whereas in November 2004, Syrian journalist Louai Hussein 
was banned from writing by the Syrian Interior Min-
istry’s political security office; 
Whereas the arrest in Germany in November 2004 of a Syr-
ian embassy official for espionage and issuing threats 
against the Syrian opposition in Europe is being cited as 
an example of a campaign reportedly launched by Syrian 
dictator Bashar Assad, aimed at intimidating the re-
gime’s opposition abroad; and 
Whereas human rights and democracy groups in Syria have 
sponsored a petition urging greater freedoms and the re-
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 Commission on Human Rights
•HCON 18 IH 
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; 
(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-