[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 652 Engrossed in House (EH)]
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
July 22, 2004.
Whereas the establishment of a democratic, transparent, and fair election
process for the 2004 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Belarus
and of a genuinely democratic political system are prerequisites for
that country's integration into the Western community of nations;
Whereas the Government of Belarus has accepted numerous specific commitments
governing the conduct of elections as a participating State of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), including
provisions of the Copenhagen Document;
Whereas the election in the fall of 2004 of Belarus's next parliament will
provide an unambiguous test of the extent of the Belarusian authorities'
commitment to implement these standards and build a democratic society
based on free elections and the rule of law;
Whereas previous parliamentary elections in Belarus have not fully met
international standards;
Whereas it is the duty of government and public authorities at all levels to act
in a manner consistent with all laws and regulations governing election
procedures and to ensure free and fair elections throughout the entire
country, including preventing activities aimed at undermining the free
exercise of political rights;
Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires a period of political
campaigning conducted in an environment in which neither administrative
action nor violence, intimidation, or detention hinder the parties,
political associations, and the candidates from presenting their views
and qualifications to the citizenry, including organizing supporters,
conducting public meetings and events throughout the country, and
enjoying unimpeded access to television, radio, print, and Internet
media on a non-discriminatory basis;
Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires that citizens be guaranteed
the right and effective opportunity to exercise their civil and
political rights, including the right to vote free from intimidation,
threats of political retribution, or other forms of coercion by national
or local authorities or others;
Whereas a genuinely free and fair election requires the full transparency of
laws and regulations governing elections, multiparty representation on
election commissions, and unobstructed access by candidates, political
parties, and domestic and international observers to all election
procedures, including voting and vote-counting in all areas of the
country;
Whereas control and manipulation of the media by national and local officials
and others acting at their behest could raise grave concerns regarding
the commitment of the Belarusian authorities to free and fair elections;
Whereas efforts by national and local officials and others acting at their
behest to impose obstacles to free assembly, free speech, and a free and
fair political campaign could call into question the fairness of the
upcoming elections; and
Whereas the arrest or intimidation of opposition political parties and
candidates such as the leader of the United Civic Party and others
involved with the opposition including those associated with the
Coalition Five Plus represents a deliberate assault on the democratic
process: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) looks forward to the development of cordial relations between
the United States and the Republic of Belarus;
(2) emphasizes that a precondition for the integration of Belarus
into the Western community of nations is its establishment of a
genuinely democratic political system;
(3) expresses its strong and continuing support for the efforts of
the Belarusian people to establish a full democracy, the rule of law,
and respect for human rights in Belarus;
(4) urges the Government of Belarus to guarantee freedom of
association and assembly, including the right of candidates, members of
political parties, and others to freely assemble, to organize and
conduct public events, and to exercise these and other rights free from
intimidation or harassment by local or national officials or others
acting at their behest;
(5) urges the Government of Belarus to meet its Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commitments on democratic
elections;
(6) urges the Belarusian authorities to ensure--
(A) the full transparency of election procedures before,
during, and after the 2004 parliamentary elections;
(B) free access for Belarusian and international election
observers;
(C) multiparty representation on all election commissions;
(D) unimpeded access by all parties and candidates to print,
radio, television, and Internet media on a non-discriminatory
basis;
(E) freedom of candidates, members of opposition parties,
and independent media organizations from intimidation or
harassment by government officials at all levels via selective
tax audits and other regulatory procedures, and in the case of
media, license revocations and libel suits, among other
measures;
(F) a transparent process for complaint and appeals through
electoral commissions and within the court system that provides
timely and effective remedies; and
(G) vigorous prosecution of any individual or organization
responsible for violations of election laws or regulations,
including the application of appropriate administrative or
criminal penalties;
(7) further calls upon the Government of Belarus to guarantee
election monitors from the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights (ODIHR), other participating States of the OSCE, Belarusian
political parties, candidates' representatives, nongovernmental
organizations, and other private institutions and organizations, both
foreign and domestic, unobstructed access to all aspects of the election
process, including unimpeded access to public campaign events,
candidates, news media, voting, and post-election tabulation of results
and processing of election challenges and complaints;
(8) encourages the international community, including the Council of
Europe, the OSCE, and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, to continue their
efforts to support democracy in Belarus and urges countries such as
Lithuania and other Baltic countries and Nordic countries to continue to
provide assistance to nongovernmental organizations and other Belarusian
organizations involved in promoting democracy and fair elections in
Belarus; and
(9) pledges its support to the Belarusian people, their commitment
to a fully free and open democratic system, their creation of a
prosperous free market economy, and their country's assumption of its
rightful place as a full and equal member of the Western community of
democracies.
Attest:
Clerk.