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“CONDEMNING THE VIOLENCE AND PERSECUTION IN CHECHNYA” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H5214-H5217 on June 27, 2017.
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CONDEMNING THE VIOLENCE AND PERSECUTION IN CHECHNYA
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 351) condemning the violence and persecution in Chechnya, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 351
Whereas, on April 1, 2017, the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta reported that authorities in Chechnya, a republic of the Russian Federation, had abducted, detained, and tortured over 100 men due to their actual or suspected sexual orientation;
Whereas multiple independent and first-hand accounts have subsequently corroborated the Novaya Gazeta report, and describe a campaign of persecution by Chechen officials against men due to their actual or suspected sexual orientation;
Whereas, as a result of this persecution, at least three deaths have been reported and many individuals have been forced to flee Chechnya;
Whereas Chechen officials have denied the existence of such persecution, including through a statement by the spokesman for Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov that ``You cannot arrest or repress people who don't exist in the republic.'';
Whereas the same spokesman for Ramzan Kadyrov has also stated that ``If such people existed in Chechnya, law enforcement would not have to worry about them, as their own relatives would have sent them to where they could never return,'' and credible reports indicate that Chechen authorities have encouraged families to carry out so-called
``honor killings'' of relatives due to their actual or suspected sexual orientation;
Whereas Chechnya is a constituent republic of the Russian Federation and subject to its laws, and Ramzan Kadyrov was installed as the leader of Chechnya by Russian President Vladimir Putin;
Whereas Chechen authorities have a long history of violating the fundamental human rights of their citizens, including through extrajudicial executions, forced disappearances, and torture of government critics;
Whereas Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed reports of persecution in Chechnya and termed them ``phantom complaints'';
Whereas Russia's Human Rights Ombudsman, Tatyana Moskalkova, has also claimed that such reports should not be believed because formal complaints have not been registered with the appropriate authorities;
Whereas the Russian Federation is a participating State of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and thus has agreed to guarantee the fundamental human rights of all of its citizens;
Whereas, on April 7, 2017, the United States Department of State issued a statement saying ``We categorically condemn the persecution of individuals based on their sexual orientation'' and urging the Government of the Russian Federation to take steps to ensure the release of all those wrongfully detained in Chechnya, and to conduct a credible investigation of the reports; and
Whereas, on April 17, 2017, United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley issued a statement saying
``Chechen authorities must immediately investigate these allegations, hold anyone involved accountable, and take steps to prevent future abuses. We are against all forms of discrimination, including against people based on sexual orientation. When left unchecked, discrimination and human rights abuses can lead to destabilization and conflict.'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns the violence and persecution in Chechnya and calls on Chechen officials to immediately cease the abduction, detention, and torture of individuals on the basis of their actual or suspected sexual orientation, and hold accountable all those involved in perpetrating such abuses;
(2) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to protect the human rights of all its citizens, condemn the violence and persecution, investigate these crimes in Chechnya, and hold accountable all those involved in perpetrating such abuses;
(3) calls on the United States Government to continue to condemn the violence and persecution in Chechnya, demand the release of individuals wrongfully detained, and identify those individuals whose involvement in this violence qualifies for the imposition of sanctions under the Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act of 2012 (Public Law 112-208; 22 U.S.C. 5811 note) or the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (Public Law 114-328); and
(4) affirms that the rights to freedom of assembly, association, and expression and freedom from extrajudicial detention and violence are universal human rights that apply to all persons, and that countries that fail to respect these rights jeopardize the security and prosperity of all their citizens.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
General Leave
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from California?
There was no objection.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, the ruler of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, rules a dictatorship of medieval brutality. Those who challenge or simply displease him often disappear in that country, or they are murdered outright.
His latest campaign of persecution is aimed at gay men and women, and those perceived to be gay, who have been abducted, tortured, and even killed, with many others that are forced to flee the country. When the Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, reported these atrocities, his spokesmen dismissed the accusations, saying that such people ``don't even exist in the republic,'' and then threatened the journalists who brought the story to light.
Caught unaware by the unexpected publicity, Chechen authorities have choked off independent sources of information. We do not know the exact status of this campaign or its many victims, but there is no doubt that the situation there for sexual minorities in general has long been, and remains, oppressive.
Disturbing reports indicate that Kadyrov has now turned his focus from abducting and torturing gay men and women to pressuring their families to murder them through so-called honor killings of these men and women. This is despicable.
Vladimir Putin deserves some of the blame here. Chechnya is a constituent republic of the Russian Federation, of which he is the President. As such, he has a sworn responsibility to ensure that the Russian Constitution is fully implemented, which, at least on paper, professes to guarantee basic rights for all citizens. Russia is also a signatory to many international agreements that formally commit it to protecting a broad array of human rights.
Yet the Russian Government's response has been largely dismissive, if not two-faced. Kremlin spokesmen have called the reports phantom complaints, yet also recommended that victims report grievances to the Chechen authorities accused of carrying out the attacks. And, of course, there has been no criticism of Kadyrov in the Russian state-
controlled media--barely even a mention of the issue.
That is why this resolution is of such importance. By shining a light on these crimes in this dark corner, we seek to give hope to those who otherwise may have none at all. And we say unequivocally, to Kadyrov, and to Putin, that these atrocities are in plain view, and that their cowardly and evasive responses are not fooling anyone.
I want to thank Chairman Emeritus Ros-Lehtinen, the author of this resolution, and Ranking Member Engel for their leadership on this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
{time} 1530
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this measure. Let me first thank my colleagues on the Foreign Affairs Committee, particularly Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen from Florida, and Mr. Cicilline from Rhode Island, for their work on this measure, and for their leadership supporting LGBT communities around the world. I also thank Chairman Royce for support of this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, day after day, we hear new reports of abuse of LGBT individuals in Chechnya. This spring, authorities rounded up hundreds of gay men. Some were tortured, some were murdered. Reports from civil society and activists tell us that Chechen authorities have rounded up LGBT individuals, beaten them, tortured them with electric shocks, and outed them to their families in the perverse hope of provoking so-
called ``honor killings.'' This is horrific.
Let's not forget that Chechnya is part of Russia, as the chairman said. These crimes--this disregard for human rights and human dignity lie at the feet of Vladimir Putin and his crony in Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov.
No one anywhere should face violence, persecution, or death because of who they love. ``Gay rights are human rights, and human rights are gay rights,'' as Hillary Clinton said when she was Secretary of State. But under Putin's rule, those rights are a myth.
So I was disappointed when Secretary Tillerson testified before the Foreign Affairs Committee about whether those atrocities were on the agenda with his Russian counterparts. ``These are on the pending list,'' he told us.
The United States should never put basic human rights on the
``pending list.'' Unless we shed a light on these abuses and demand that they be stopped, we are betraying our most fundamental values. So today I am glad the House, in a bipartisan way, is speaking out to condemn this violence and persecution, to stand up for the freedoms of assembly and expression, and to say that we believe that LGBT rights are human rights that must be protected around the world.
I am glad to support this measure. Again, I thank Chairman Ed Royce, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and David Cicilline.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen), the chairman emeritus of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and, of course, the author of this measure.
Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I thank, as always, our esteemed chairman, Mr. Royce from California, as well as Mr. Engel from New York, who really run our committee in the most fair, bipartisan way possible.
I think that our committee is an example for the rest of the House. But I am so grateful to have worked alongside my chairman and ranking member, and all of the colleagues in the House Foreign Affairs Committee in a bipartisan manner; particularly, Mr. Issa, Mr. Cicilline, Mr. Smith, and Mr. Lowenthal, in introducing and bringing to the floor this important resolution, H. Res. 351, Condemning the Violence and Persecution in Chechnya.
Since early April, there have been credible reports that gay or perceived-to-be-gay men in the Russian republic of Chechnya have been rounded up, have been detained, have been put into prison camps by the authorities of Chechnya. And according to international human rights groups and activists on the ground, the situation has rapidly escalated. Despite the international attention and the rage, the beatings and torture did not stop. Men continued to be tortured on a daily basis, and, allegedly, at least 20 men have been killed.
The latest reports indicate that lesbians are also being targeted now. This government campaign targeting LGBT individuals is also inciting ``honor killings.'' Families are being threatened and act out of fear of also being persecuted. This is appalling.
Putin has given free rein to the Chechen leader and has significant influence over what goes on in Chechnya. Let's not forget Russia's deplorable human rights record of silencing religious minorities, of prohibiting freedom of expression, of restricting free association of LGBT individuals. This is Russia's record. It is Chechnya's as well.
Nothing has been done. No perpetrators have been brought to justice. This is why it is up to us in the United States to not sit idly by while this state-sponsored persecution is ongoing. This bipartisan resolution, Mr. Speaker, does not only shed light on this dreadful human rights disaster, but it also calls on the officials of Chechnya to immediately put an end to the abduction and violence of individuals based on their real or perceived sexual orientation.
It calls on Putin to uphold the international commitments and protect the human rights of all people upon which Russia has entered. They have signed these commitments, yet they don't fulfill them. It holds accountable those individuals in the attacks who will also be sanctioned under two existing U.S. sanctions laws that we have passed: Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law Accountability Act and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act.
Today, this body has the ability to once again be that strong voice for human rights of all individuals and to send a clear message to any oppressor that the United States will not turn a blind eye against violence, harassment, and discrimination, no matter where it happens.
As a country, we have the responsibility to promote our deeply cherished American values and reaffirm our commitment to fundamental freedom, especially for those who live under the shadow of oppression and tyranny. We stand in solidarity with the persecuted, with the religious minorities, with the ethnic groups, with the suppressed women, and, in this case, with the LGBT community, because the respect of human rights of all people remains a U.S. foreign policy priority.
I thank my colleagues for their overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle who have supported this important resolution, which sends a unified message that the United States is committed to promoting human rights and that this crisis must end now because this matter is not just an LGBT issue--as important as it is--it is a human life matter and it deserves support from all of us.
Everyone deserves dignity. Everyone deserves respect in the place they call home, no matter where that is around the world. It is time to put an end to Chechnya's barbaric LGBT purge.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for the time and I thank the ranking member as well.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Cicilline), a coauthor of this resolution and someone who is fighting for human rights all the time.
Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to support H. Res. 351, which condemns the violence and persecution against LGBT or perceived-to-be LGBT individuals in Chechnya.
This resolution is an example of the strong bipartisanship of the House Foreign Affairs Committee under the leadership of Chairman Ed Royce and Ranking Member Eliot Engel. I thank my good friend, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who has long been a champion of the dignity of all people around the world, for introducing H. Res. 351. I also thank the chairman and ranking member for working with us to ensure this resolution was passed without delay and with the support of the full committee.
On April 1 of this year, the Novaya Gazeta, one of the few independent Russian newspapers, posted a chilling report detailing a concerted campaign by Chechen authorities to identify, round up, torture, and murder gay or perceived-to-be-gay men and women in the Chechen region of Russia.
Dozens of suspected LGBT men and some women have been rounded up with estimates of more than 100 people being detained, and at least three murdered, maybe many more. Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov has denied the reports. When confronted with accusations, his spokesman denied there were any gay people in Chechnya, and explained that, ``If there were such people in Chechnya, law enforcement agencies wouldn't need to have anything to do with them because their relatives would send them somewhere from which there is no returning.''
In fact, there have been credible reports that Chechen authorities have forced family members of those detained or those suspected of being gay to commit ``honor killings'' or face violence and retaliation against their entire families.
Chechnya is a small, conservative region of Russia, and LGBT people there face a level of isolation and danger that is unthinkable to those of us living in the freedom of the United States. Even those who have managed to escape Chechnya continue to face danger from extended family members or Chechen authorities within Russia and even parts of Europe.
That is why it is so important that the United States work with our partners in Europe and assist in making sure that those fleeing the violence in Chechnya are relocated somewhere they can be safe. H. Res. 351 condemns the violence and persecution against LGBT individuals in Chechnya and calls on Chechen officials to immediately cease the abduction, detention, and torture of individuals on the basis of their actual or suspected sexual orientation, and hold accountable all those involved in perpetrating such abuses.
Furthermore, this resolution calls on the government of the Russian Federation to protect the human rights of all its citizens, condemn the violence and persecution, investigate these crimes in Chechnya, and hold accountable all of those involved in perpetrating such abuses.
We must remember that President Kadyrov is a close ally of President Putin, and that the Russian Government has essentially sanctioned the atrocities that are being carried out on its soil. That is why it is so important that representatives of the United States Government, at the highest levels, raise this issue with President Putin and other Russian officials.
I was extremely disappointed when Secretary of State Tillerson appeared before the Foreign Affairs Committee earlier this month and admitted that neither he nor the President had raised this issue with anyone in the Russian Government. The United States must make it clear that human rights abuses will not be tolerated.
The President, the Secretary of State, and other senior officials must raise this issue consistently with the Russian Government and make it clear that they must protect the lives and safety of all Russian citizens.
Additionally, the Trump administration must take steps to ensure that any Russian officials involved in these atrocities are being sanctioned under the Sergei Magnitsky Act and the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which we passed last year. Events like these are exactly why these bills were passed, to ensure that government officials involved in gross human rights abuses do not have the privilege of accessing American markets or traveling to the United States.
Furthermore, the administration should be working in concert with our European allies to ensure that Russia is being held to its international obligations and treaties. The lives of vulnerable men and women are at stake, and every day that we remain silent, we condemn more to a dark fate.
I am pleased that the House is considering this resolution tonight. I urge my colleagues to support it. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), a valued member of the committee.
Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for yielding.
I rise to remind us that Martin Luther King once said: ``Injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere.''
We are all in this together. The idea that we can cherry-pick whose rights we will proclaim and defend is a mistaken notion. It is also un-
American. So the future rights of LGBT members in Chechnya are important to Americans, and we need to stand up for their security, their safety, and their fundamental human rights.
This resolution is important. I congratulate the chairman and ranking member for bringing it before us. I congratulate my good friend, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, and David Cicilline for their leadership. I am proud to support this resolution today.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield myself the balance of my time.
Let me, first of all, again thank Representative Ros-Lehtinen, who is always working really hard and is on top of issues that are so important. We really appreciate her leadership and everything she does in the committee; Mr. Cicilline, who has fought for LGBT rights; and, of course, my partner on the committee, Chairman Royce. Things like this show the bipartisanship of our committee, which I think is really important.
Occasionally we hear talk about Vladimir Putin that implies some sort of moral equivalency between the way he runs Russia and American policies. If you want to know how false that comparison is, take a look at what is happening in Chechnya. Take a look at the violence that Putin's thugs are waging against innocent citizens. That is how Putin regards the rights of his own people. That is what we are here to condemn today.
The United States should continue to make advancing and protecting human rights a foreign policy priority, including the rights of LGBT communities.
I urge a ``yes'' vote on this measure. I thank Chairman Royce, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. ROYCE of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, as an original cosponsor of this bill, I, again, thank Chairman Emeritus Ros-Lehtinen. I thank Ranking Member Engel, as well as Representatives Darrell Issa, David Cicilline, Chris Smith, and Gerry Connolly for their important work on this resolution.
The abduction, torture, and targeted killings that we are seeing in Chechnya are an affront to the core universal values that all nation-
states must strive to protect. The U.S. has a long history of speaking out on behalf of persecuted minorities, and that is what we are doing here today.
We cannot end injustice everywhere, but we can expose it. We can bring it to the world's attention and, in so doing, give hope to its innocent victims.
I ask all Members to speak clearly and to speak unanimously in condemning this violence.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. Royce) that the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 351, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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