III
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 149
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
May 14, 2009
Mr. Martinez (for himself, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Graham, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Nelson of Florida, Mr. Voinovich, and Mr. Lugar) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Expressing solidarity with the writers, journalists, and librarians of Cuba on World Press Freedom Day and calling for the immediate release of citizens of Cuba imprisoned for exercising rights associated with freedom of the press.
Whereas Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights provides, Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and
expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference
and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and
regardless of frontiers.
;
Whereas the United Nations General Assembly declared May 3
of each year to be World Press Freedom Day
to raise awareness of
the importance of freedom of expression and to remind governments of their
obligation to respect the rights of free expression and of a free press;
Whereas the United States Department of State, in its 2008
report on human rights in Cuba, notes, The government [of Cuba]
subjected independent journalists to travel bans, detentions, harassment of
family and friends, equipment seizures, imprisonment, and threats of
imprisonment. State Security agents posed as independent journalists to gather
information on activists and spread misinformation and mistrust within
independent journalist circles.
;
Whereas Reporters Without Borders, an international nongovernmental organization, continues to rank Cuba as one of the most repressive countries in the world, and the most repressive country in the Western Hemisphere, with respect to freedom of the press;
Whereas the International Press Institute, a global
network of journalists, editors, and media executives, concludes that Cuba
remains a leading jailer of journalists
;
Whereas International PEN, an international network of writers, has reported that 22 writers, journalists, and librarians were among the individuals arrested and tried during the crackdown by the Government of Cuba on independent civil society activists in the spring of 2003, and subsequently imprisoned;
Whereas International PEN further reports that the
majority of the detained writers, journalists and librarians are suffering from
health complaints caused or exacerbated by the harsh conditions and treatment
they are exposed to in prison. Despite their deteriorating health status,
access to adequate medical treatment is often limited.
; and
Whereas the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonpartisan international organization of journalists, has identified more than 20 writers, journalists, and librarians in Cuba who remain imprisoned by the Government of Cuba: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
expresses solidarity with—
the citizens of Cuba who are suffering harassment, deprivation, or imprisonment for exercising rights associated with freedom of the press and pursuing livelihoods as independent writers, journalists, or librarians; and
the family members of those writers, journalists, and librarians; and
calls on the Government of Cuba to release immediately all writers, journalists, and librarians who are imprisoned for exercising their fundamental human rights, including the citizens of Cuba that have been specifically identified by international organizations that monitor respect for the freedom of the press as being imprisoned by the Government of Cuba.