S2028 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 26, 2015 Last month, the Washington Post ran Raif’s lawyer, Waleed Abu al-Khair, a Many had hoped that new Ethiopian a powerful letter on its opinion page prominent human rights activist in his Prime Minister Hailemariam would written recently by Khadija where she own right and head of the Monitor of bring a change to his late predecessor’s states that the reason she is in prison Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, was human rights policies. is because of the regime’s corruption himself arrested and sentenced to 15 Unfortunately, last July the Ethio- and vows to continue to expose that years in prison followed by a ban on pian Government charged six bloggers corruption. Less than a week later the travel for 15 years. and three journalists—known collec- Azeri government suddenly called for a Also concerning is that his case was tively as the Zone 9 Bloggers—under a closed-door trial and found her guilty taken up by the Specialized Criminal broadly used terrorism law, despite any of criminal libel. Court in Jeddah, which was created in credible evidence be offered. To quote her piece in the Post: 2008 to deal with terrorist suspects but Sadly, these bloggers seem to have The fight between good and evil goes on, has also taken to trying human rights been arrested to narrow the already and the most important thing is that this activists on dubious charges. small space for free media expression fight should not end. If we can continue to I sent a letter to Saudi Arabia in in Ethiopia. reject the thinking that is imposed on us and January along with several col- Some of you may have heard of believe that human dignity is not for sale, leagues—Senators LEAHY, SHAHEEN, Eskinder Nega, a prominent inde- then we are the winners, and they, our RUBIO, FEINSTEIN, WYDEN, KIRK, and pendent journalist who was critical of jailers both inside and outside prison, are the BOXER—urging the release of both Raif losers. the Ethiopian Government and was de- and Waleed. tained on eight different occasions be- Sadly, this is just a snapshot of the My staff has also met with Samar fore being convicted in 2012 on ter- many brave Azeris or organizations Badawi—she is Waleed’s wife and Raif’s rorism charges and sentenced to 18 facing trumped-up charges or imprison- sister, and she is an activist in her own years in prison. ment for simply exercising basic polit- right—it is a whole family of activists. Others may know of Reeyot Alemu, a ical freedoms. For years she has been a strong advo- schoolteacher and columnist with one To them, I say, the world is aware of cate for women’s rights in Saudi Ara- of Ethiopia’s last remaining inde- your plight and courage. And to Presi- bia and has served her own time in jail pendent papers was also convicted in dent Aliyev, I urge you to release your for it. 2012 on counts of terrorism and sen- own people whose only offense has been In fact, in 2012, she was one of the re- tenced to 5 years in prison. Reeyot has to ask for a peaceful democratic Azer- cipients of the International Women of breast cancer and is in desperate need baijan. You cannot be a part of the Courage Award from the State Depart- of urgent and proper medical care be- Western community of democracies ment. yond what prison can provide. while violating its core democratic Samar and others have raised the Both Eskinder and Reeyot have won principles. profile of countless women who have prestigious international awards for Second, Mr. President, is Saudi Ara- stood up for their rights in a country their work while serving prison terms. bia—a country that is an important where zealous interpretations of reli- Both represent the plight of their ally to the United States on many gion and traditional customs guide countless colleagues in the industry issues and yet could not be more dif- Saudi laws, like the one requiring all who have suffered threats, intimida- ferent when it comes to basic freedoms. women to have a male guardian. tion, politically motivated prosecu- I have spoken about human rights The guardianship law automatically tions, and even physical abuse. concerns in Saudi Arabia on the floor restricts Saudi women from driving, as I sent a letter with Senators BOXER before—the troubling lack of freedoms many of you know, but also from mak- and MENENDEZ to the Ethiopian Gov- for women and the use of obsolete blas- ing their own choices regarding mar- ernment about the Zone 9 Bloggers last phemy and apostasy laws to stifle free- riage and divorce, employment, travel, summer and I know Secretary Kerry dom of religion and expression. banking, and countless other basic life has also raised their cases. I am trou- In 2012, the Saudi Government im- decisions. bled to hear that a fair and transparent prisoned a young blogger named Hamza Raif, Waleed, and Samar are only a trial for them only continues to be de- Kashgari for tweets considered blas- few of the many independent activists layed. phemous. and peaceful dissidents in Saudi Arabia In fact, their case was adjourned 20 Fortunately, after nearly 2 years, I who have faced persecution. times before the group finally had the was pleased to hear of his release. Now, like many of you, I was sad- opportunity to plead not guilty in Writer and activist Raif Badawi, dened to hear of the passing of King court last month, only to be adjourned however, has not been so fortunate. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz on January 23. again for March 30, just shortly before Also imprisoned in 2012, Raif Badawi Many have described him as a man of the Ethiopian general elections in May. was sentenced to 10 years in prison and vision, peace, and reform. Prime Minister Hailemariam, you 1,000 lashes for apparently launching a As his brother, Salman, takes the have an opportunity to turn the page Web site that suggested a peaceful dis- seat as the new King of Saudi Arabia, I on your country’s human rights record cussion about religion. hope he will take every opportunity to by reversing a troubling pattern of He received his first set of 50 lashes free Raif, Waleed, and others jailed on press harassment. in public on January 9, and spent his account of their beliefs, to allow great- These are just a few of the many po- 31st birthday in jail, severely wounded. er room for political debate and free- litical prisoners around the globe that His wife, Ensaf Haidar, who fled to doms, and renounce any further pros- struggle, often at great risk, for a bet- Canada with their three children after ecutions under charges of apostasy or ter future for their fellow countrymen she began receiving anonymous death blasphemy. and women and for their children. I threats because of her husband’s case, Last, Mr. President, I would like to want them and their families—and the fears her husband may not be able to turn the attention toward Ethiopia, a governments unjustly holding them— physically withstand another round of country I last visited in 2010, when I to know that they are not forgotten. lashings. had the opportunity to meet with then- I will continue to draw attention to I was relieved to hear that after Prime Minister Meles. their plight and work for their release, international outrage about this treat- Meles’ government made many ad- along with my colleagues here in Con- ment as well as serious concern about vances and Ethiopia was and remains gress and their countless advocates his health, Raif’s next rounds of an ally and leader a difficult region. It around the world. floggings have been repeatedly post- has also received millions over the poned. His case was referred to the Su- years in development assistance from f preme Court in Riyadh only to be re- the United States. turned back to the Court of Appeals in And yet, Ethiopia continues to be a LYNCH NOMINATION Jeddah, where reports indicate he may country with a troubling human rights Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, one great be retried and even worse, could face record, particularly regarding freedom responsibility that distinguishes the the death penalty. of the press. U.S. Senate is our constitutional role

VerDate Sep 11 2014 12:23 Apr 08, 2015 Jkt 000000 PO 00000 Frm 00020 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\RECORD15\MAR 15\S26MR5.PT2 S26MR5 DSKD7QTVN1PROD with CONG-REC-ONLINE March 26, 2015 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S2029 of advice and consent. We have a sol- tion was announced, the Republican neys General combined: Richard emn duty to consider nominees for po- leader criticized me for not yet having Thornburgh, 1 day; William Barr, 5 sitions of great importance to the Na- set a hearing date, saying that Demo- days; Janet Reno, 1 day; John Ashcroft, tion, some of which are lifetime ap- crats should ‘‘not hold Judge Mukasey 2 days, Alberto Gonzales, 8 days; Mi- pointments. Every day that the nomi- hostage while they play partisan chael Mukasey, 2 days; and Eric Hold- nation of Loretta Lynch to be the next games.’’ That was after 3 weeks. We are er, 5 days. This delay is an embarrass- Attorney General awaits a floor vote is now on week 19 for Ms. Lynch—that is ment for the U.S. Senate. another day the Senate fails to func- more than six times as long and Sen- I am concerned that the Senate will tion as it should. ator MCCONNELL has openly linked her have to file a cloture motion and vote The Attorney General is our Nation’s confirmation to partisan politics by to overcome a filibuster of Ms. Lynch’s top law enforcement official. The posi- linking her vote to demands on legisla- nomination. This would be unprece- tion is critical to protecting our na- tion. dented and unwarranted. No Attorney tional security and our most cherished Senate Republicans’ handling of the General nomination in our history has civil rights. It is a position of honor nomination process for the Nation’s ever been met with a filibuster. We and one that deserves respect. And top law enforcement officer has been have never needed a cloture vote for an even though Senators have not always disgraceful. And all of this after Senate Attorney General nomination. It ap- agreed with the President’s choice, Democrats agreed not to process her pears that Senate Republicans want to there used to be a mutual respect for nomination during the lameduck be- make history for all the wrong reasons. the position and the process of filling cause the current majority leader reas- It is time to stop playing politics and it. That proud history is being debased sured us that she would be treated fair- lead. here in the Senate today. The Repub- ly. Unfortunately, that has not been f lican majority has turned this vital po- the case. No one can deny that Ms. JUDICIAL CONFIRMATIONS sition—and the highly respected nomi- Lynch is eminently qualified for the nee—into a bargaining chip to be lever- job. No one can deny that her nomina- Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, we are aged for political gain. This is not how tion is a historic one. No one can deny now three months into the new Con- to treat a position of such importance that her record safeguarding our Na- gress with Republicans in the majority. to law enforcement and our national tion from terrorists and criminals is The Republican reign thus far has been security. beyond reproach. And no one can defined by an attempt to shut down the When I was chairman of the Judici- deny—based on the objective num- Department of Homeland Security; a ary Committee, I did not support the bers—that she is being treated worse refusal to even allow a floor vote on an nomination of Michael Mukasey, the than her predecessors. Ms. Lynch has eminently qualified nominee for Attor- choice of President George W. Bush. been treated unfairly compared to pre- ney General; and the decision to inject But I did not obstruct the process or vious Attorneys General nominees by a partisan abortion fight in what is deny the Senate a vote. To the con- whatever metric one chooses. otherwise an uncontroversial bill to trary, we treated the position and the Republicans are holding back a top build on our efforts to combat human nominee with the historic respect they Federal prosecutor who has an unparal- trafficking. On top of all of this, the both deserve. Judge Mukasey received leled record keeping Americans safe Senate Republican Leadership has been a floor vote just 2 days after he was re- from terrorists. During her tenure as unwilling to bring up for a vote any of ported from committee and he was con- U.S. attorney, the Eastern District of the judicial nominees pending on the firmed just 53 days after his nomina- New York has prosecuted significant Executive Calendar. Not one. tion was announced. That process terrorism cases. This includes the suc- The refusal by the Senate Republican stands in sharp contrast to that of Ms. cessful prosecution of six individuals leadership to schedule votes on any Lynch. It has now been 28 days since for their roles in a 2009 Al Qaeda plot Federal judges is completely contrary she was reported out of committee and to attack the New York subway sys- to historical precedent. This is also in 137 days since her nomination was first tem; the convictions of four terrorists stark contrast to the way Democrats announced. plotting to attack John F. Kennedy treated President Bush’s judicial nomi- The treatment of this excellent Airport; and the conviction of a ter- nees. During the Bush administration nominee is beneath the dignity of this rorist who attempted to detonate an we were able to reduce overall judicial body. In January, Ms. Lynch testified explosive device at the New York Fed- vacancies from 110 down to 28. In the 17 before the Senate Judiciary Committee eral Reserve. months I chaired the Senate Judiciary for nearly 8 hours and she responded to Rudy Giuliani, the former Repub- Committee during President Bush’s nearly 900 written questions. Not a sin- lican Mayor of New York and a proud first 2 years in office, the Senate con- gle witness invited by Republicans op- law-and-order conservative, urged the firmed 100 Federal circuit and district posed her nomination. When Repub- Senate last week to end the delay and court judges. I also served as chairman licans stalled consideration of Ms. to confirm Ms. Lynch. He said: of the Judiciary Committee during the Lynch’s nomination in committee, This woman is entitled to confirmation: last 2 years of the Bush administration Democrats noted the unnecessary not as a woman, not as a man, but as a high- and continued to hold regular hearings delay and raised concerns about filling ly qualified candidate . . . Loretta Lynch is on judges and we confirmed 68 district this vital position. Senator CORNYN dis- more than qualified. She’s overqualified to and circuit court judges in those last 2 missed this as ‘‘faux outrage.’’ But in be attorney general. years. November 2007, Senator CORNYN com- My friend Louis Freeh, former Direc- The Senate must continue to fulfill plained that a 7-week process on the tor of the FBI and Federal judge, has its constitutional obligation of advice Mukasey nomination threatened our written that ‘‘[i]n my twenty-five and consent. The fact that we are in national security. He issued a press re- years of public service—23 in the De- the last 2 years of this presidency does lease stating: partment of Justice—I cannot think of not mean our work is done. In the last It is imperative that the president has his a more qualified nominee to be Amer- 2 years of the Clinton administration, national security team at full strength and ica’s chief law enforcement officer.’’ He 73 judges were confirmed, and in the the unnecessary delay of Judge Mukasey’s has further stated that ‘‘Ms. Lynch is last 2 years of the Reagan administra- nomination has prevented that. He deserves an atypically non-political appoint- tion, 83 judges were confirmed. I have an immediate up-or-down vote by the full ment for that office, a career profes- heard Senate Republicans state that 11 Senate. sional without any political party ties of the judges confirmed in the lame Loretta Lynch’s nomination has now or activity.’’ duck last year should count towards been pending more than 19 weeks. If we do not confirm Ms. Lynch be- confirmations this year. That is a bi- Where is the outrage now? Where is the fore the upcoming recess, her nomina- zarre claim. Prior Congresses have al- concern for the President’s national se- tion will be pending before the full ways confirmed consensus nominees curity team to be at full strength? Senate for 46 days by the time we re- prior to long recesses. And Senate Similarly, in early October 2007—just turn on April 13. That is nearly twice Democrats were only forced to do so 3 weeks after Mr. Mukasey’s nomina- as long as all of the past seven Attor- because Republican obstruction had

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