,,iii  #aah? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #ibc  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,decemb] #aj1         
#bjbd,mr4 ,coons 7= himself & ,mr4      
,tillis7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2  
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign  
,relations  ,,resolution  ,recogniz+ !  
critical importance & contributions (   
global civil society 9 advanc+ human    
rights1 condemn+ ! use ( political      
imprisonm5t z a tool ( repression1 &    
call+ = ! release ( political prison]s  
across ! _w 9 commemoration ( ,human    
,rights ,day on ,decemb] #aj1 #bjbd4    
,:]eas ! ,s5ate pass$ ,s4 ,res4 #gca1   
:i* designat$ ,decemb] #aj1 #bjah1 z    
,human ,rights ,day2 ,:]eas ,decemb]    
#aj1 #bjbd1 m>ks ! #gf? anniv]s>y ( !   
adoption ( ! ,univ]sal ,decl>ation (    
,human ,rights2 ,:]eas ! ,univ]sal      
,decl>ation ( ,human ,rights is a l&m>k 
docum5t t e/abli%$ ! inali5able rights  
to :i* all humans are entitl$1 reg>dless
 ( race1 color1 religion1 sex1 language1
 political or o!r op9ion1 national or   

social orig91 prop]ty own]%ip1          
bir?place1 or o!r /atus2 ,:]eas1 9 light
 ( imm5se difficulties1 civil society & 
civil society organizations contribute  
to ! promotion1 protection1 & advancem5t
 ( human rights1 democratic gov]nance1 &
 rule ( law across ! _w e day2 ,:]eas ! 
/ate ( global human rights & civil      
lib]ties has decl9$ dur+ ! pa/ #b       
decades1 ) ,fre$om ,h\se notably track+ 
#ah consecutive ye>s ( decl9e 9 rights &
 fre$oms ar\nd ! _w2 ,:]eas ,fre$om     
,h\se reports t political rights & civil
 lib]ties 9 #bjbc dim9i%$ 9 #eb c\ntries
 & improv$ 9 only #ba c\ntries2 ,:]eas1 
s9ce #bjaf1 #ia c\ntries h propos$ or   
enact$ m ?an #bfj legal measures affect+
 civil society1 ( :i* #gb p]c5t h       
re/rict$ human rights2 ,:]eas increas+  
re/rictions on civil society            
organizations directly imp$es ! ability 
( su* organizations to advance human    
rights advocacy & democracy-build+ "w & 
ob/ructs ! rights ( citiz5s to ex]cise  
fre$om ( spee* & assembly2 ,:]eas !     

,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate e/imates t #a1jjj1jjj 
individuals f9d !mselves unju/ly beh9d  
b>s z political prison]s = ex]cis+ human
 rights & fundam5tal fre$oms1 because ( 
_! race1 religion1 or e?nicity1 or due  
to _! private relation%ips2 ,:]eas      
political imprisonm5t is employ$ by     
au?orit>ian actors z a tool = limit+    
political & social diss5t1 /ifl+ fre$om 
( expression & assembly1 & und]m9+      
public p>ticipation 9 free & fair       
elections2 ,:]eas au?orit>ian c\ntries  
op]ate va/ networks ( political prison  
camps & labor camps us$ to              
indiscrim9ately deta9 ?\s&s (           
individuals2 ,:]eas c\ntless political  
prison]s 9 ^! det5tion facilities are   
subject$ to torture1 inhumane           
conditions1 en=c$ disappe>ance1 or o!r  
=ms ( abuse2 ,:]eas1 accord+ to ,fre$om 
,h\se1 ?r\gh\t #bjbc1 widespread        
problems ) elections1 includ+ viol5ce & 
electoral manipulation1 drove           
det]ioration 9 rights & fre$oms across !
 _w1 especially 9 c\ntries t exp]i5c$   

pre- & po/-election viol5ce2 ,:]eas1 9  
_m c\ntries1 political opposition       
figures & civil society memb]s cont9ue  
to be unju/ly deta9$ = _! role 9 dem&+  
free & fair elections & lead+ peaceful  
democratic prote/s 9 opposition to      
illib]al regimes2 ,:]eas anti-corruption
 prosecutors & pro-democracy activi/s   
are arbitr>ily imprison$ on baseless    
*>ges = _! advocacy ( great] judicial   
indep5d5ce & transp>5cy 9 c\ntries :]e  
judicial sy/ems are weaponiz$ aga9/     
human rights advocates2 ,:]eas religi\s 
m9orities1 religi\s fre$om advocates1 & 
mission>ies are unju/ly t>get$1 deta9$1 
& repress$ = ex]cis+ _! fre$om to       
believe or n to believe & advocat+ = ^? 
same fre$oms = o!rs2 ,:]eas ! ,dep>tm5t 
( ,/ate has det]m9$ t religi\s m9orities
 cont9ue to be victims ( g5ocides relat+
 to religi\s fre$om2 ,:]eas wom5 face   
significantly high] risks ( h>assm5t &  
imprisonm5t :5 p>ticipat+ 9 civil       
society & political advocacy & height5$ 
vuln]abilities to m5tal & physical abuse

 dur+ arre/1 que/ion+1 & imprisonm5t2   
,:]eas au?orit>ian gov]nm5ts & non/ate  
actors ar\nd ! _w en=ce sy/ems (        
impunity & discrim9ation to             
sy/ematically dismantle wom5's & girls' 
access to _! civil lib]ties & imprison  
female human rights def5d]s & memb]s (  
civil society :o speak out aga9/ su*    
oppression2 ,:]eas j\rnali/s face       
political imprisonm5t = fight+ to report
 ! tru?1 advocat+ = great] protections =
 fre$om ( press1 & hold+ gov]nm5ts      
acc\ntable to _! citiz5s2 ,:]eas1 dur+  
#bjbc1 accord+ to ,report]s ,)\t        
,bord]s1 ne>ly #hjj j\rnali/s 7 jail$ & 
#de 7 kill$ = simply do+ _! jobs3 ,n[1  
!re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 expresses
 support = ,human ,rights ,day &        
recognizes its global significance2     
7#b7 recognizes ! critical importance & 
contributions ( global civil society 9  
advanc+ human rights1 democracy1 & !    
rule ( law2  7#c7 condemns ! use (      
political imprisonm5t z a tool (        
repression to re/rict civil lib]ties &  

human rights2  7#d7 calls ^u gov]nm5ts t
 are unju/ly deta9+ individuals = _!    
human rights & civil society advocacy "w
 to imm$iately & unconditionally release
 ^! political prison]s2  7#e7 enc\rages 
! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate to cont9ue robu/    
campaigns to advocate = ! release (     
political prison]s & to lev]age all     
necess>y diplomatic tools 9 support (   
su* advocacy1 includ+ by-- 7,a7         
coord9at+ ) o!r executive ag5cies on    
priority cases ( political prison]s =   
any pr9cipals or high-level ,unit$      
,/ates (ficials travel+ to specific     
c\ntries :]e a kn[n case requires       
att5tion or diplomatic int]v5tion2  7,b7
 work+ ) congressional p>tn]s1 su* z !  
,s5ate ,human ,rights ,caucus & ! ,tom  
,lantos ,human ,rights ,commission1 to  
coord9ate advocacy on priority cases =  
memb]s ( ,congress1 includ+ advocacy    
prec$+ (ficial congressional travel2    
7,c7 consult+ ) civil society &         
nongov]nm5tal organizations 9 c\ntries )
 priority political prison]s' cases on  

plans ( engagem5t & advocacy2  7,d7     
support+ bilat]al & multilat]al         
engagem5t ) allies & l-m9d$ c\ntries on 
issues involv+ ! global protection (    
human rights1 democratic gov]nance1 & ! 
rule ( law2 &  7,e7 work+ ) multilat]al 
organizations & =a to devise jo9t ef=ts 
to advance human rights & democracy2 &  
7#f7 enc\rages ! ,bureau ( ,democracy1  
,human ,rights1 & ,labor1 9             
collaboration ) ! ,(fice ( ! ,special   
,presid5tial ,envoy = ,ho/age ,affairs1 
to devise jo9t /rategies to det]        
au?orit>ian regimes f us+ _! judicial   
sy/ems 7p>ticul>ly arre/s1 det5tions1 & 
s5t5c+s7 z tools to sil5ce diss5t or =  
political lev]age4