A concurrent resolution calling on the Government of Saudi Arabia to cease supporting religious ideologies that promote hatred, intolerance, violence, and other abuses of internationally recognized human rights and urging the Government of the United States to promote religious freedom in Saudi Arabia.

Bill: 108-sconres-131
Sponsor: Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY]
Introduced: 2004-07-22 in the Senate
Policy area: International Affairs
Subjects: Administration of justice
Arts, Culture, Religion
Church and state
Churches
Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Clergy
Congress
Congress and foreign policy
Congressional reporting requirements
Crime and Law Enforcement
Curricula
Democracy
Diplomacy
Diplomats
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Embassies
Government Operations and Politics
Human rights
International broadcasting
Islam
Law
Middle East and North Africa
Muslims
Nongovernmental organizations
Pluralism (Social sciences)
Political violence
Radio broadcasting
Religion
Religion and politics
Religious education
Religious liberty
Rule of law
Saudi Arabia
Science, Technology, Communications
Sex discrimination
Teachers
Textbooks
Treaties
United Nations
Violence
Women
Women's rights

Summary:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: 
Calls on the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to: (1) to stop funding religious activities that promote hatred, violence, and human rights violations; (2) stop providing diplomatic status to Islamic clerics and educators teaching outside of Saudi Arabia who are not legally entitled to such status; (3) close any Islamic affairs section of a Saudi embassy that has been responsible for propagating intolerance; (4) uphold the international commitments made by Saudi Arabia by respecting and protecting the human rights of citizens and foreigners of both sexes in Saudi Arabia; (5) ratify and comply with international human rights instruments and cooperate with United Nations human rights mechanisms; (6) implement promised judicial, political, economic, and educational reforms; (7) cease messages of hatred, intolerance, or incitement to violence against non-Wahhabi Muslims and non-Muslim religious groups in the educational curricula and textbooks, mosques, and media controlled by the Government of Saudi Arabia; (8) permit the establishment of independent organizations to advance human rights and to promote tolerance in Saudi Arabia; (9) safeguard the freedom of private worship for non-Muslims and for Muslims who do not follow the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam; (10) permit non-Wahhabi places of worship, such as churches, to function openly in special compounds or zones for foreigners or in unadorned buildings; and (11) permit the broadcasting of Radio Sawa throughout Saudi Arabia.
 
 Urges the President to: (1) raise public and private concerns with the Government of Saudi Arabia regarding the ongoing violations of human rights, including the right to freedom of religion; (2) designate Saudi Arabia a country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for the ongoing violations of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia; (3) encourage the Government of Saudi Arabia to implement judicial, political, economic, and educational reforms; (4) encourage the Government of Saudi Arabia to cease funding to propagate outside of Saudi Arabia any religious ideology that explicitly promotes hate, intolerance, and other human rights violations, including violence; (5) request that the Government of Saudi Arabia identify and provide an accounting of what kinds of support go to religious schools, mosques, centers of learning, and other religious organizations globally, including in the United States; (6) develop initiatives and programs in Saudi Arabia to advance human rights, including religious freedom, the rights of women, and the rule of law; and (7) report to Congress on U.S. efforts to raise concerns regarding human rights, including religious freedom, with the Government of Saudi Arabia, and the results of such efforts.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations. (text of measure as introduced: CR S8773-8774)
action_date: 2004-07-22
text: Introduced in Senate