Expressing support for the recognition of October 30, 2022, as the International Day of Political Prisoners.

Bill: 117-hres-1450
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
Introduced: 2022-10-28
Policy area: International Affairs
Latest action: action_date: 2022-10-28
text: Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-10-28
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>This resolution supports recognizing the International Day of Political Prisoners and continuing efforts to raise awareness and secure the release of political prisoners.</p>

tv_txt: IV 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1450 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 28, 2022 Mr. Cohen (for himself and Mr. Wilson of South Carolina ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs RESOLUTION Expressing support for the recognition of October 30, 2022, as the International Day of Political Prisoners.

Whereas the number of political prisoners across the world, including cases of journalists, academics, peace and political activists, political oppositionists and dissidents, and human rights defenders being detained, arrested, convicted, and otherwise punished for political motives without connection to any credible offence has steadily increased; Whereas the United States Government estimates that there are more than 1 million political prisoners worldwide; Whereas authoritarian and repressive regimes around the world have engaged in systematic destruction of independent voices, including but not limited to the Russian and Belarusian Governments; Whereas national governments and legislative bodies have an obligation to raise awareness about the plight of political prisoners; Whereas national governments and legislative bodies should advocate with states holding political prisoners their prompt release; Whereas, on October 30, 1974, Soviet human rights activists and dissidents initiated the idea of marking the day of political prisoners in the USSR and consequently held a hunger strike that day while in jail; Whereas, in 1978, the Moscow Helsinki Group—founded in 1976, disbanded in 1982 due to KGB intimidation, and reestablished by former USSR political prisoners and human rights activists in 1989—declared October 30 Political Prisoner Day; and Whereas October 30, 1991, marked the first annual Remembrance Day for the Victims of Political Repression observed in Russia: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) deplores all forms of political repression and imprisonment; (2) supports statements by the United States Government condemning political imprisonment and the continuance of the Department of State’s efforts to raise international awareness of political prisoners and secure their release; and (3) expresses support for the recognition of the International Day of Political Prisoners.