15606 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 12 June 18, 2009 SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS against Mr. Khodorkovsky and Mr. Lebedev fifth anniversary of ’s ‘‘politically motivated’’, noted that Mr. arrest, stating ‘‘the conduct of the cases Khodorkovsky and Mr. Lebedev had not been against Khodorkovsky and his associates has SENATE RESOLUTION 189—EX- accorded fair, transparent, and impartial eroded ’s reputation and public con- PRESSING THE SENSE OF THE treatment, and deplored their transfer to re- fidence in Russian legal and judicial institu- SENATE THAT THE TRIAL BY mote prison camps; tions’’; Whereas Amnesty International, Freedom Whereas on December 22, 2008, the Euro- THE RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT OF House, and other prominent international pean Court of Human Rights ordered the re- BUSINESSMEN MIKHAIL human rights organizations have cited the lease of the terminally ill former oil KHODORKOVSKY AND PLATON conviction and imprisonment of Mikhail executive Vasily Aleksanyan, who had been LEBEDEV CONSTITUTES A PO- Khodorkovsky as evidence of the arbitrary held in detention since April 6, 2006, despite LITICALLY-MOTIVATED CASE OF and political use of the legal system and the repeated orders by the European Court that SELECTIVE ARREST AND PROS- lack of a truly independent judiciary in the Mr. Aleksanyan be treated in a humane fash- ECUTION THAT SERVES AS A Russian Federation; ion for and AIDS; Whereas in February 2009, Andrei TEST OF THE RULE OF LAW AND Whereas governments, courts, journalists, and human rights organizations around the Illarianov, former chief economic advisor to INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDI- world have expressed concern about the pros- President , stated that ‘‘[o]ne CIAL SYSTEM OF RUSSIA ecution, trial, imprisonment, and treatment of the best known political prisoners is Mi- Mr. WICKER (for himself and Mr. of the individuals in the Yukos case, and khail Khodorkovsky who has been sentenced to 9 years in the Siberian camp CARDIN) submitted the following reso- have called on President Medvedev to honor his pledge to end ‘‘legal nihilism’’ in Russia; Krasnokamensk on the basis of purely fab- lution; which was referred to the Com- ricated case against him and his oil company mittee on Foreign Relations: Whereas on February 5, 2007, on the eve of their eligibility for parole, Russian prosecu- Yukos’’; S. RES. 189 tors brought new charges against Mr. Whereas on February 24, 2009, human Whereas on April 1, 2009, President Barack Khodorkovsky and Mr. Lebedev, accusing rights lawyer Karinna Moskalenko, said that Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev them of embezzling $20,000,000,000 in Yukos ‘‘[a]ll verdicts are possible in this country. issued a joint statement affirming that ‘‘[i]n oil revenues; But for people like Khodorkovsky, every- our relations with each other, we also seek Whereas in May 2007 the Prosecutor Gen- thing is already planned out and decided as to be guided by the rule of law, respect for eral in attempted to disbar Karinna long as the political will does not change’’; fundamental freedoms and human rights, Moskalenko, one of Russia’s most distin- Whereas on February 25, 2009, Olga and tolerance for different views’’; guished and renown human rights lawyers Kudeshkina, former Moscow court judge who Whereas the United States and Russia, in a and defense counsel to Mikhail was dismissed from her duties in 2004, stated spirit of cooperation, will continue the dia- Khodorkovsky, in apparent reprisal for ac- that Moscow City Court ‘‘has turned into an logue on the issues affirmed in such joint tions she had taken on behalf of her client; institution of settling political, commercial statement at an upcoming summit to be held Whereas in August 2007 the highest court and other scores’’ and that ‘‘nobody can be in June 2009; of Switzerland denied Russian authorities sure that the case will be resolved in accord- ance with the law’’; Whereas it has been the long-held position access to Yukos documents on the basis that Whereas on April 2, 2009, Senator Ben of the United States to support the develop- the case against Yukos and its principal ex- Cardin, chair of the Helsinki Commission, ment of democracy, rule of law, judicial ecutives and core shareholders, specifically issued a statement in the Senate in which he independence, freedom, and respect for Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev, noted that ‘‘the Council of Europe, Freedom human rights in the Russian Federation; had a ‘‘political and discriminatory char- House and Amnesty International, among Whereas Russian President Medvedev has acter. . .undermined by the infringement of others, have concluded that Mr. called Russia a country of ‘‘legal nihilism’’ human rights and the right to defense’’; Khodorkovsky was charged and imprisoned and issued a new foreign policy doctrine cit- Whereas courts in Great Britain, the Neth- in a process that did not follow the rule of ing ‘‘the supremacy of law in international erlands, Cyprus, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, law and was politically influenced. . .’’ and relations’’ as one of the top priorities of Rus- and Switzerland have described the Yukos that ‘‘the current charges. . .amount to legal sia; proceeding as politically motivated and have hooliganism and highlight the petty mean- Whereas 2 prominent cases involve the rejected motions from Russian prosecutors ness of the senior government officials be- Yukos Oil Company and its president, Mi- seeking the extradition of Yukos officials or hind this travesty of justice. . .should be khail Khodorkovsky and his partner, Platon materials for use in trials in Russia; dropped and the new trial should be aban- Lebedev, who were convicted and sentenced Whereas on October 25, 2007, the European doned’’; in May 2005 to serve 9 years in a remote Court of Human Rights ruled that Platon Whereas on April 10, 2009, the New York penal camp; Lebedev’s rights to liberty and security were Times published an editorial noting that the Whereas Russian authorities confiscated violated during his arrest and subsequent new charges and trial against Mikhail Yukos assets and assigned ownership to a pretrial detention; Khodorkovsky ‘‘are for show, intended only state company that is chaired by an official Whereas the 2008 Department of State to keep [him] and his colleague in prison for- in the Kremlin; harassed, exiled, persecuted, Human Rights Report stated: ‘‘The arrest ever’’; and imprisoned many Yukos officers and and conviction of Khodorkovsky raised con- Whereas on April 11, 2009, the Washington legal representatives; and issued a series of cerns about the right to due process and the Post wrote: ‘‘If Mr. Medvedev allows [the court rulings against Mr. Khodorkovsky and rule of law, including the independence of Khodorkovsky trial] to go forward to its Mr. Lebedev that violate international legal courts and the lack of a predictable tax re- scripted conclusion—a lengthy extension of norms; gime.’’; Mr. Khodorkovsky’s sentence to a Siberian Whereas at a press conference in May 2005, Whereas on March 13, 2008, the European prison camp—the point will be proved that President George Bush stated, ‘‘it appeared Parliament issued a resolution calling on the Russia still has no rule of law but only a to . . . people in my Administration, that Russian President to ‘‘review the treatment ruler’’; . . . [Mikhail Khodorkovsky] had been of imprisoned public figures (among them Whereas on April 21, 2009, Freedom House, judged guilty prior to having a fair trial. In Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon Lebedev), Amnesty International, Human Rights First, other words, he was put in prison, and then whose imprisonment has been assessed by , the International was tried’’; most observers as having been politically League for Human Rights, the Lantos Foun- Whereas on October 25, 2005, Congressmen motivated’’; dation for Human Rights and Justice, and Roger Wicker and Tom Lantos introduced H. Whereas in July 2008, President Dmitry the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Ad- Res. 525, which noted the actions that the Medvedev said it was essential that Russia vancement of Human Rights joined in a let- Russian government had taken with respect ‘‘take all necessary means to strengthen the ter to President Medvedev in which they to Yukos, Mr. Khodorkovsky, and Mr. independence of judges’’ since ‘‘it goes with- note ‘‘the serious human rights concerns Lebedev, and called upon Russian authorities out saying that pressure is applied, influence raised by the case so far’’ and call on the to prove that the cases were not politically is exerted, and direct bribery is often used’’; Russian Government to ‘‘ensure that inter- motivated, that the Russian judicial system Whereas on August 22, 2008, Mikhail national observers are allowed unhindered is truly independent and not simply an in- Khodorkovsky was denied parole on the access to the courtroom’’ to monitor the strument of the Kremlin, and that the state grounds that he refused to take part in voca- trial, to ‘‘ensure that the rule of law is was not engaged in a campaign to selectively tional training in sewing and that he alleg- upheld’’ and that it ‘‘meets the standards of reclaim or re-nationalize private enterprises; edly failed to keep his hands behind his back the Russian Constitution and international Whereas on November 18, 2005, Senators during a jail walk; law’’; Joe Biden, Barack Obama, and John McCain Whereas on October 25, 2008, the State De- Whereas the selective disregard for the introduced S. Res. 322, which called the cases partment issued a statement marking the rule of law by Russian officials undermines

VerDate Mar 15 2010 11:15 Oct 24, 2011 Jkt 079102 PO 00000 Frm 00072 Fmt 0685 Sfmt 0634 E:\BR09\S18JN9.002 S18JN9 wreier-aviles on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BOUND RECORD June 18, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD—SENATE, Vol. 155, Pt. 12 15607 the standing and status of the Russian Fed- (11) significant numbers of health problems SENATE RESOLUTION 191—RECOG- eration among the democratic nations of the that affect men, such as prostate cancer, tes- NIZING THAT THE OCCURRENCE world; and ticular cancer, colon cancer, and infertility, OF PROSTATE CANCER IN AFRI- Whereas both Russia and the United States could be detected and treated if men’s aware- CAN-AMERICAN MEN HAS have recently elected new presidents that ness of such problems was more pervasive; provide the opportunity to review past poli- REACHED EPIDEMIC PROPOR- cies and pursue a new era of mutual coopera- (12) more than 1⁄2 of the elderly widows now TIONS AND URGING FEDERAL tion: Now, therefore, be it living in poverty were not poor before the AGENCIES TO ADDRESS THAT Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate death of their husbands, and by age 100, HEALTH CRISIS BY DESIG- that— women outnumber men 8 to 1; NATING FUNDS FOR EDUCATION, (1) Mikhail Khodorkovsky and Platon (13) educating both the public and health AWARENESS OUTREACH, AND Lebedev are prisoners who have been denied care providers about the importance of early RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY FO- basic due process rights under international CUSED ON HOW PROSTATE CAN- law for political reasons; detection of male health problems will result (2) in light of the record of selective pros- in reducing rates of mortality for these dis- CER AFFECTS AFRICAN-AMER- ecution, politicization, and abuse of process eases; ICAN MEN involved in their cases, and as a demonstra- (14) appropriate use of tests such as pros- Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, tion of Russia’s commitment to democracy, tate specific antigen exams, blood pressure human rights, and the rule of law, the new Mr. BURRIS, Ms. LANDRIEU, and Mrs. screenings, and cholesterol screenings, in criminal charges brought by Russian au- BOXER) submitted the following resolu- thorities against Mr. Khodorkovsky and Mr. conjunction with clinical examination and self-testing for problems such as testicular tion; which was referred to the Com- Lebedev should be withdrawn; mittee on Health, Education, Labor, (3) the standing of the Russian Federation cancer, can result in the detection of many as a nation supporting democracy, freedom problems in their early stages and increase and Pensions: of expression, an independent judiciary, the survival rates to nearly 100 percent; S. RES. 191 human rights, and the rule of law would (15) women are twice as likely as men to Whereas the incidence of prostate cancer move closer to validation by paroling Mr. visit the doctor for annual examinations and in African-American men is 60 percent high- Khodorkovsky and Mr. Lebedev, both of er than in any other racial or ethnic group in whom have served more than half their sen- preventive services; and the United States; tences; and (16) men are less likely than women to Whereas African-American men have the (4) the Russian Federation is encouraged to visit their health center or physician for reg- highest mortality rate of any ethnic and ra- take these actions to support democratic ular screening examinations of male-related cial group in the United States, dying at a principles and human rights in furtherance problems for a variety of reasons, including rate that is 140 percent higher than other of a new and more positive relationship be- fear, lack of health insurance, lack of infor- ethnic and racial groups; tween the United States and Russia and a mation, and cost factors; Whereas that rate of mortality represents new era of mutual cooperation. Whereas National Men’s Health Week was the largest disparity of mortality rates in f established by Congress in 1994 and urges any of the major ; men and their families to engage in appro- Whereas prostate cancer can be cured with SENATE RESOLUTION 190—SUP- priate health behaviors, and the resulting in- early detection and the proper treatment, re- PORTING NATIONAL MEN’S creased awareness has improved health-re- gardless of the ethnic or racial group of the HEALTH WEEK lated education and helped prevent illness; cancer patient; Mr. CRAPO (for himself and Mr. Whereas the governors of more than 45 Whereas African Americans are more like- ly to be diagnosed at an earlier age and at a LUGAR) submitted the following resolu- States issue proclamations annually declar- ing Men’s Health Week in their States; later stage of cancer progression than all tion; which was referred to the Com- other ethnic and racial groups, thereby lead- Whereas since 1994, National Men’s Health mittee on Health, Education, Labor, ing to lower cure rates and lower chances of Week has been celebrated each June by doz- and Pensions: survival; and ens of States, cities, localities, public health S. RES. 190 Whereas according to a paper published in departments, health care entities, churches, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Whereas, according to the National Cancer and community organizations throughout Sciences, researchers from the Dana Farber Institute— the Nation that promote health awareness Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School (1) despite advances in medical technology events focused on men and family; have discovered a variant of a small segment and research, men continue to live an aver- Whereas the National Men’s Health Week of the human genome that accounts for the age of more than 5 years less than women, Internet website has been established at higher risk of prostate cancer in African- and African-American men have the lowest www.menshealthweek.org and features gov- American men: Now, therefore, be it life expectancy; ernors’ proclamations and National Men’s (2) 9 of the 10 leading causes of death, as Resolved, That the Senate— Health Week events; defined by the Centers for Disease Control (1) recognizes that prostate cancer has cre- and Prevention, affect men at a higher per- Whereas men who are educated about the ated a health crisis for African-American centage than women; value that preventive health can play in pro- men; and (3) between ages 45 and 54, men are 3 times longing their lifespan and their role as pro- (2) urges Federal agencies to designate ad- more likely than women to die of heart at- ductive family members will be more likely ditional funds for— tacks; to participate in health screenings; (A) research to address and attempt to end (4) men die of heart disease at 11⁄2 times the Whereas men and their families are en- the health crisis created by prostate cancer; rate of women; couraged to increase their awareness of the and (5) men die of cancer at almost 11⁄2 times importance of a healthy lifestyle, regular ex- (B) efforts relating to education, aware- the rate of women; ercise, and medical checkups; and ness, and early detection at the grassroots (6) testicular cancer is 1 of the most com- Whereas June 15 through June 21, 2009, is level to end that health crisis. mon cancers in men aged 15 to 34, and when National Men’s Health Week, which has the detected early, has a 96 percent survival purpose of heightening the awareness of pre- Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I invite rate; ventable health problems and encouraging my colleagues to celebrate Father’s (7) the number of cases of colon cancer early detection and treatment of disease Day by cosponsoring a Senate resolu- among men will reach almost 75,590 in 2009, among men and boys: Now, therefore, be it tion supporting men’s health by recog- 1 and almost ⁄2 of those men will die from the nizing that the occurrence of prostate disease; Resolved, That the Senate— (8) the likelihood that a man will develop (1) supports the annual National Men’s cancer in African American men has prostate cancer is 1 in 6; Health Week in 2009; and reached epidemic proportions. The res- (9) the number of men developing prostate (2) calls upon the people of the United olution also urges Federal agencies to cancer in 2009 will reach more than 192,280, States and interested groups to observe Na- address the health crisis by designating and an estimated 27,360 of them will die from tional Men’s Health Week with appropriate funds for education, awareness out- the disease; ceremonies and activities. (10) African-American men in the United reach, and research specifically focused States have the highest incidence in the on how prostate cancer affects African- world of prostate cancer; American men.

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