A joint resolution to designate August 1, 1986 as "Helsinki Human Rights Day".
PL 99-374 (S.J.Res.371), enacted 08/06/1986

100 STAT. 800 
PUBLIC LAW 99-374—AUG. 6, 1986 
Public Law 99-374 
99th Congress 
Joint Resolution 
Aug. 6, 1986 
[S.J. Res. 371] 
To designate August 1, 1986, as "Helsinki Human Rights Day". 
Whereas August 1, 1986, will be the eleventh anniversary of the 
signing of the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-
operation in Europe (hereafter in this preamble referred to as the 
"Helsinki Accords"); 
Whereas on August 1, 1975, the Helsinki Accords were agreed to by 
the Governments of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, 
Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, the German Demo-
cratic Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, the 
Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxem-
bourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Por-
tugal, Romania, San Marino, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, 
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom, the 
United States of America, and Yugoslavia; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords express the commitment of the 
participating States to "respect human rights and fundamental 
freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion 
or belief, for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or 
religion"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating ' States to "promote and encourage the effective 
exercise of civil, political, economic, social, cultural and other 
rights and freedoms all of which derive from the inherent dignity 
of the human person and are essential for his free and full 
development"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "recognize and respect the freedom of the 
individual to profess and practise, alone or in community with 
others, religion or belief acting in accordance with the dictates of 
his own conscience"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States in whose territory national minorities exist to 
"respect the right of persons belonging to such minorities to 
equality before the law" and that such States "will afford them 
the full opportunity for the actual enjoyment of human rights and 
fundamental freedoms and will, in this manner, protect their 
legitimate interests in this sphere"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "recognize the universal significance of 
human rights and fundamental freedoms, respect for which is an 
essential factor for the peace, justice and well-being necessary to 
ensure the development of friendly relations and cooperation 
among themselves as among all States"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "constantly respect these rights and free-
doms in their mutual relations" and that such States "will 
endeavor jointly and separately, including in cooperation with the 
PUBLIC LAW 99-374—AUG. 6, 1986 
100 STAT. 801 
United Nations, to promote universal and effective respect for 
them"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "confirm the right of the individual to 
know and act upon his rights and duties in this field"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States in the field of human rights and fundamental 
freedoms to "act in conformity with the purposes and principles of 
the Charter of the United Nations and with the Universal Dec- 
59 Stat. 1031. 
laration of Human Rights" and to "fulfill their obligations as set 
forth in the international declarations and agreements in this 
field, including inter alia the International Covenants on Human 
Rights, by which they may be bound"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "facilitate freer movement and contacts, 
individually and collectively, whether privately or officially, 
among persons, institutions and organizations of the participating 
States, and to contribute to the solution of the humanitarian 
problems that arise in that connection"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "favorably consider applications for travel 
with the purpose of allowing persons to enter or leave their 
territory temporarily, and on a regular basis if desired, in order to 
visit members of their families"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "deal in a positive and humanitarian spirit 
with the applications of persons who wish to be reunited with 
members of their family" and "to deal with applications in this 
field as expeditiously as possible"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "examine favorably and on the basis of 
humanitarian considerations requests for exit or entry permits 
from persons who have decided to marry a citizen from another 
participating State"; 
Whereas the Helsinki Accords also express the commitment of the 
participating States to "facilitate wider travel by their citizens for 
personal or professional reasons"; 
Whereas the Governments of the Union of Soviet Socialist Repub-
lics, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, the German Democratic Republic, 
Hungary, Poland, and Romania, in agreeing to the Helsinki Ac-
cords, have acknowledged an adherence to the principles of 
human rights and fundamental freedoms as embodied in the 
Helsinki Accords; 
Whereas the aforementioned Governments have violated their 
commitments to the Helsinki Accords by denying individuals 
their inherent rights to freedom of religion, thought, conscience, 
and belief; 
Whereas the aforementioned Governments have violated their 
commitments to the Helsinki Accords by restricting the freer 
movement of people, ideas, and information; 
Whereas the concluding document of the Madrid Review Conference 
of September 9, 1983, called for the Ottawa Human Rights Ex-
perts Meeting, the Budapest Cultural Forum, and the Bern 
Human Contacts Experts Meeting to discuss questions concerning 
respect for human rights and cooperation in humanitarian fields 
as embodied in the Helsinki Accords; 
71-194 0 - 89 - 28 : CL 3 Parti 
100 STAT. 802 
PUBLIC LAW 99-374-AUG. 6, 1986 
Whereas these meetings, which were attended by representatives 
from all the signatory States, presented important opportunities 
to address issues of compliance with the human rights and 
humanitarian provisions of the Helsinki Accords; and 
Whereas in November 1986 representatives from the signatory 
States will be meeting in Vienna to review implementation of the 
Helsinki Accords, including the human rights and humanitarian 
provisions: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, That— 
(1) August 1, 1986, the eleventh anniversary of the signing of 
the Helsinki Accords is designated as "Helsinki Human Rights 
Day"; 
(2) the President is authorized and requested to issue a 
proclamation reasserting the American commitment to full 
implementation of the human rights and humanitarian provi-
sions of the Helsinki Accords, urging all signatory nations to 
abide by their obligations under the Helsinki Accords, and 
encouraging the people of the United States to join the Presi-
dent and Congress in observance of Helsinki Human Rights Day 
with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities; 
(3) the President is further requested to continue his efforts to 
achieve full implementation of the human rights provisions of 
the Helsinki Accords by raising the issue of noncompliance with 
the Governments of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, 
the German Democratic Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Roma-
nia at every available opportunity; 
(4) the President is further requested to convey to all signato-
ries of the Helsinki Accords that respect for human rights and 
fundamental freedoms is a vital element of further progress in 
the ongoing Helsinki process; and 
(5) the President is authorized to convey to allies and friends 
of the United States that unity on the question of respect for 
human rights and fundamental freedoms is the most effective 
means to promote the full implementation of the human rights 
and humanitarian provisions of the Helsinki Accords. 
SEC. 2. The Secretary of the Senate is directed to transmit copies 
of this joint resolution to the President, the Secretary of State, and 
the Ambassadors of the thirty-four Helsinki signatory nations. 
Approved August 6, 1986. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—S.J. Res. 371: 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 132 (1986): 
July 23, considered and passed Senate. 
July 31, considered and passed House.