December 19, 2019 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S7213

S. RES. 458 reach, and counter-speech, and that crim- ernments as arbiters of religious truth and Whereas Article 18 of the International inalization of speech is warranted only for empower officials to impose religious dogma Declaration of Human Rights states that the prevention of imminent violence; on individuals or minorities through the ‘‘[e]veryone has the right to freedom of Whereas, according to the annual religious power of the government or through violence thought, conscience and religion; this right freedom report published by the Department sanctioned by the government; includes freedom to change his religion or of State in 2015, attackers in Bangladesh (2) calls on the President and the Secretary belief, and freedom, either alone or in com- killed five allegedly anti-Islamic or of State to make the repeal of blasphemy, munity with others and in public or private, secularist writers and publishers, and injured , and laws a priority in the to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, three others; bilateral relationships of the United States practice, worship and observance’’; Whereas, in response to these killings, the with all countries that have such laws, Whereas many countries continue to have Home Minister of Bangladesh, rather than through direct interventions in bilateral and criminal blasphemy laws and punish people condemning the murders, called on bloggers multilateral fora; who engage in expression deemed by the gov- and others to refrain from writings that (3) encourages the President and the Sec- ernment to be blasphemous, heretical, apos- could hurt the religious feelings of others retary of State to oppose— tate, defamatory of religion, or insulting to and added that violators of the warning (A) any efforts, by the or religion or to religious symbols, figures, or would be subject to prosecution under the re- by other international or multilateral fora, strictive religious freedom laws of Ban- feelings, and such punishment can include to create an international anti-blasphemy gladesh; fines, imprisonment, and norm, such as the ‘‘ of religions’’ Whereas a 2016 report by USCIRF on Ban- including by beheading; resolutions introduced in the United Nations gladesh found that religious and civil society Whereas blasphemy laws have affected between 1999 and 2010; and groups fear that increasing religious extre- Christians, , Hindus, Baha’i, (B) any attempts to expand the inter- mism will result in more criminal attacks secularists, and many other groups, are in- national norm on incitement to include blas- and threats; consistent with international human rights phemy or defamation of religions; Whereas restrictive religious freedom laws standards because they establish and pro- (4) supports efforts by the United Nations validate and promote social violence tar- mote official religious orthodoxy and dogma to combat intolerance, discrimination, or vi- geted at religious minorities and dissenters, over individual liberty, and often result in olence against persons based on religion or whether Christian, Muslim, secularist, or belief without restricting expression, includ- violations of the freedoms of religion, other; thought, and expression that are protected ing United Nations Human Rights Council Whereas USCIRF has found that in Paki- Resolution 16/18 (2011) and the Istanbul Proc- under international instruments, including stan, blasphemy laws have been used to pros- Articles 18 and 19 of the International Cov- ess meetings pursuant to such resolution, ecute and persecute Muslims, Christians, that are consistent with the First Amend- enant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR); secularists, and others; Whereas the United Nations Human Rights ment to the Constitution; Whereas, according to a Pew Center report (5) calls on the President and the Secretary Committee stated in General Comment 34 on religion and public life, stands that ‘‘[p]rohibitions of displays of lack of re- of State to designate countries that enforce out for having one of the highest levels of re- blasphemy, heresy, or apostasy laws as spect for a religion or other belief system, strictions on religion when both government ‘‘countries of particular concern for religious including blasphemy laws, are incompatible restrictions and social hostilities are taken freedom’’ under section 402(b)(1)(A)(ii) of the with the [ICCPR].’’; into account; International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 Whereas the United States Commission on Whereas USCIRF has found egregious ex- (22 U.S.C. 6442(b)(1)(A)(ii)) for engaging in or International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) amples of the enforcement of blasphemy tolerating severe violations of religious free- has found that blasphemy charges are often laws and vigilante violence connected to dom, as a result of the abuses flowing from based on false accusations, are used for sec- blasphemy allegations in Pakistan, where the enforcement of such laws and from tarian or political purposes, and foster reli- blasphemy charges are common and numer- unpunished vigilante violence often gen- gious intolerance, discrimination, and vio- ous individuals are in prison, with a high erated by blasphemy allegations; lence; percentage sentenced to death or to life in Whereas USCIRF has found that at least 70 prison; (6) urges the governments of countries that countries had blasphemy laws as of 2018; Whereas, as of May 2018, USCIRF was enforce blasphemy, heresy, or apostasy laws Whereas these laws were present in 18 Mid- aware of approximately 40 individuals on to amend or repeal such laws, as they pro- dle East and North African countries, 8 coun- death row for or serv- vide pretext and impunity for vigilante vio- tries in the Americas, 18 Asia-Pacific coun- ing life sentences; lence against religious minorities; and tries, 14 European countries, and 12 Sub-Sa- Whereas Asia Bibi was sentenced to death (7) urges the governments of countries that haran African countries; for blasphemy in 2010 and was held on death have prosecuted, imprisoned, and persecuted Whereas the Pew Research Center found row for 8 years, until the Supreme Court of people on charges of blasphemy, heresy, or that countries with laws against blasphemy, Pakistan overturned her conviction in 2018, apostasy to release such people uncondition- apostasy, or defamation of religion were and has since received asylum in ; ally and, once released, to ensure their safe- more likely to have severe governmental re- Whereas Pakistan selectively enforces the ty and that of their families. strictions on religion, and to experience so- against minority religious f cial hostilities based on religion, than coun- groups, including specifically targeting the tries that did not have such laws; Ahmadis, such as Abdul Shakoor, an 82-year SENATE RESOLUTION 459—TO CON- Whereas restrictive laws beyond those pe- old bookseller who was recently released STITUTE THE MAJORITY PAR- nalizing blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy after serving four years in prison on blas- TY’S MEMBERSHIP ON CERTAIN further limit religious freedom, such as ex- phemy charges; COMMITTEES FOR THE ONE HUN- tremism laws— Whereas blasphemy laws in Pakistan have DRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS, OR (1) in Russia that have been used to ban Je- fostered a climate of impunity, as those who UNTIL THEIR SUCCESSORS ARE hovah’s Witnesses as an extremist organiza- falsify evidence go unpunished and allega- CHOSEN tion and fueled persecution of this religious tions often result in violent mob attacks or group; assassinations, with little to no police re- Mr. MCCONNELL submitted the fol- (2) in China, to arbitrarily detain an esti- sponse; lowing resolution; which was consid- mated 800,000 to 2,000,000 Uighur Muslims in Whereas, in 2017, the Christian Governor of ered and agreed to: internment camps because they followed Is- Jakarta, , was convicted for blas- S. RES. 459 lamic rituals and practices; and phemy of and sentenced to two years (3) in North Korea, to detain an estimated in jail; Resolved, That the following shall con- 50,000 to 70,000 Christians in labor camps be- Whereas several countries that maintained stitute the majority party’s membership on cause they followed the tenets of Christi- blasphemy laws have recently taken steps the following committee for the One Hun- anity; towards removing these provisions, including dred Sixteenth Congress, or until their suc- Whereas an international group of experts , and Canada; cessors are chosen: convened by the Office of the United Nations Whereas blasphemy laws in the United SELECT COMMITTEE ON ETHICS: Mr. High Commissioner for Human Rights rec- States were invalidated by the adoption of Lankford (Chairman), Mr. Roberts, Mr. ommended in 2012 that ‘‘[s]tates that have the First Amendment to the Constitution, Risch. blasphemy laws should repeal the[m] as such which protects the freedoms of thought, con- f laws have a stifling impact on the enjoyment science, expression, and religious exercise; of freedom of religion or belief and healthy and SENATE RESOLUTION 460—CON- dialogue and debate about religion.’’; Whereas the United States has become a GRATULATING THE AMERICAN Whereas blasphemy laws are inconsistent beacon of religious freedom and tolerance GEOPHYSICAL UNION ON THE OC- with United Nations resolutions adopted by around the world: Now, therefore, be it CASION OF ITS CENTENNIAL consensus since 2011 recognizing that reli- Resolved, That the Senate— gious intolerance is best fought through (1) recognizes that blasphemy, heresy, and Mr. CARDIN (for himself and Ms. positive measures, such as education, out- apostasy laws inappropriately position gov- MURKOWSKI) submitted the following

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