,,iii #aaeth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #fce ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,september #ah1 #bjah ,mr4 ,merkley 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,young1 ,ms4 ,warren1 ,mr4 ,coons1 ,mr4 ,durbin1 ,mr4 ,cardin1 ,mr4 ,lankford1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,ms4 ,collins1 and ,mr4 ,markey7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,calling for the immediate release of unjustly imprisoned ,myanmar journalists ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo1 and expressing concern over the overall deterioration in freedom of the press in ,myanmar4 ,whereas the first amendment to the ,constitution of the ,united ,states enshrines press freedom as a foundational element of ,american democracy1 declaring that ,congress shall make no law ''' abridging the freedom of speech1 or of the press2 ,whereas ,article #ai of the ,united ,nations ,universal ,declaration of ,human ,rights1 adopted on ,december #aj1 #aidh1 by the ,united ,nations ,general ,assembly1 enshrines press freedom as a vital aspect of universal human rights2 ,whereas the ,department of ,state's annual ,human ,rights ,report on ,burma for the year #bjag states that-- 7#a7 legal provisions that allow the government to manipulate the courts for political ends1 and these provisions were sometimes used to deprive citizens of due process and the right to a fair trial1 particularly with regards to the freedom of expression2 7#b7 ,the government continued to detain and arrest journalists1 activists1 and critics of the government and the military during the year42 and 7#c7 ,threats against and arrests of journalists increased ''' ,freedom of expression was more restricted during the year compared with #bjaf4 ,this included a higher number of detentions of journalists using various laws1 including laws carrying more severe punishments than those used previously42 ,whereas1 according to ,,pen ,america1 the discontinuation of ,radio ,free ,asia's broadcasting in ,myanmar on a domestic channel constitutes a further shrinking of the space for free expression in the country2 ,whereas1 additionally1 ,,pen ,america reports that-- 7#a7 there continues to be increased legal threats1 imprisonment and physical harassment of journalists2 7#b7 there continues to be restrictions on the ability to report from and receive information on conflict areas2 and 7#c7 the lack of reform of media laws and institutions driving a decline in media freedom2 ,whereas1 beginning in late ,august #bjag1 a concerted campaign directed by the ,tatmadaw1 the official name of the armed forces of ,myanmar1 was carried out to assault1 kill1 rape1 burn villages1 and force ,rohingya to flee from ,myanmar to ,bangladesh2 ,whereas approximately #gjj1jjj ,rohingya people have fled ,myanmar in a period of almost #ab months2 ,whereas a #afj-page report issued ,july #ai1 #bjah1 by the human rights organization ,fortify ,rights finds that at least #bg ,myanmar ,army battalions1 comprising up to #aa1jjj soldiers1 along with at least three combat police battalions1 comprising an estimated #ijj police personnel1 were involved in the attacks in northern ,rakhine ,state beginning in ,august #bjag1 and further finds that these attacks constitute preparatory action for genocide and crimes against humanity and finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe the ,myanmar ,army1 ,myanmar ,police ,force1 border guards1 and non-,rohingya civilian perpetrators committed atrocities that constitute genocide and crimes against humanity and should be held liable for those crimes2 ,whereas earlier ,fortify ,rights reports have documented the systematic use of torture by ,myanmar authorities against ,kachin civilians in ,kachin ,state and northern ,shan ,state from ,june #bjaa to ,april #bjad2 ,whereas the ,august #bjah ,united ,nations report of the ,independent ,international ,fact-,finding ,mission on ,myanmar ,report states1 in paragraph #hg that the ,mission concluded ''' that there is sufficient information to warrant the investigation and prosecution of senior officials in the ,tatmadaw chain of command1 so that a competent court can determine their liability for genocide in relation to the situation in ,rakhine ,state2 ,whereas1 on ,august #bh1 #bjah1 ,united ,states ,ambassador to the ,united ,nations ,nikki ,haley reported to the ,united ,nations ,security ,council that the ,department of ,state had conducted interviews with #a1jbd ,rohingya refugees in camps throughout ,cox's ,bazar refugee camp and that the results of the interviews were consistent with the ,united ,nations ,independent international fact-finding mission on ,myanmar2 ,whereas1 on ,september #b1 #bjag1 as part of this brutal campaign1 ,myanmar security forces aided by local ,buddhist villagers in the village of ,inn ,din in ,rakhine state detained and then murdered #aj ,rohingya men2 ,whereas1 ,reuters1 a highly reputable worldwide news gathering organization1 discovered this atrocity as part of its ongoing reporting on the ,myanmar military's campaign against the ,rohingya1 and ,reuters journalists ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo were doing fact-checking and interviewing eye-witnesses to these and other events2 ,whereas1 on ,december #ab1 #bjag1 ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo were arrested by police and later charged with illegally possessing secret government documents under the colonial era ,official ,secrets ,act2 ,whereas ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo have been in custody from ,december #ab1 #bjag1 to the present1 including before1 during1 and after their trial2 ,whereas1 one of the key prosecution witnesses in the trial1 ,police ,captain ,moe ,yan ,naing1 said in open court on ,april #bj1 #bjah1 that he and others were ordered by the ,myanmar police chief to trap ,wa ,lone by inviting the journalist to meet them at a restaurant and to give him secret documents--a meeting that ,wa ,lone attended in the company of his colleague1 ,kyaw ,soe ,oo1 which led to the immediate arrest of the two journalists2 ,whereas ,police ,captain ,moe ,yan ,naing was subsequently sentenced to one year in jail for violating police discipline2 ,whereas1 on ,september #c1 #bjah1 ,yangon northern district judge ,ye ,lwin ruled that ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo breached the colonial-era ,official ,secrets ,act and sentenced them each to seven years in prison with hard labor2 ,whereas #hc ,myanmar civil society organizations have signed a statement condemning the verdict2 ,whereas the people of ,myanmar1 with assistance from the ,department of ,state and the ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development1 have successfully grown their cadre of ethical and hard hitting journalists1 journalists who are adhering to the utmost professional standards and able to uncover the abuses being committed in their own country1 and these journalists deserve the international community's support and praise for taking on the risky job of fostering press freedom in their country1 however nascent it is2 ,whereas ,united ,states ,agency for ,international ,development ,administrator ,mark ,green released a statement calling the convictions an enormous setback for democracy and the rule of law in ,burma and urged the ,government of ,burma to protect journalists and press freedom1 which are the bedrocks of democracy and peace2 ,whereas ,vice ,president ,mike ,pence tweeted his concern over the sentence against ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo for 8doing their job reporting on the atrocities being committed on the ,rohingya people02 ,whereas ,united ,states ,ambassador to the ,united ,nations ,nikki ,haley described the conviction as another terrible stain on the ,burmese government and called for their immediate and unconditional release2 ,whereas freedom of the press enhances public accountability and transparency and therefore promotes adherence to the rule of law and enforcement of universally recognized human rights by all people2 and ,whereas freedom of the press is a key component of democratic governance and activism in civil society3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate-- 7#a7 calls for all the convictions against ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo to be nullified1 for the similar charges against many other journalists currently awaiting trial to be dropped1 and for the immediate and unconditional release of these journalists2 7#b7 expresses concern about the ,government of ,myanmar's crackdown on journalists and press freedom throughout the country2 7#c7 reaffirms the central role that independent and professional journalism plays in strengthening democratic governance1 upholding the rule of law1 mitigating conflict1 and informing public opinion around the world2 7#d7 urges the ,secretary of ,state to make a determination whether the actions by the ,myanmar military constitute crimes against humanity or genocide and to work with interagency partners to impose targeted sanctions on ,myanmar military officials responsible for these heinous acts through existing authorities2 and 7#e7 calls on the ,president and the ,secretary of ,state-- 7,a7 to reaffirm the importance of a free press in strengthening democratic governance1 upholding the rule of law1 mitigating conflict1 and informing public opinion around the world2 and 7,b7 to engage immediately and at the highest levels with the ,government of ,myanmar1 including by encouraging ,aung ,san ,suu ,kyi to use her influence to secure the immediate and unconditional release of ,wa ,lone and ,kyaw ,soe ,oo1 as ,united ,states leadership is critical to this issue4