A joint resolution expressing the sense of Congress with respect to human rights in Central Asia.

Treaties and Legislation · OPCAT Ratification · Labor Rights – CAFTA · P.L. 108-7, Omnibus Appropriations Act o Section 523, Afghanistan o Section 574, Uzbekistan o Sections 564 and 565, Colombia · P.L. 108-11, Wartime Supplemental Appropriations Bill · Economic Support Fund – money for prosecution of war crimes in Iraq · Fiscal Year 2004 Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill (S 1420, HR 2800) o Sections on Afghanistan, Central Asia, and Colombia · H.R. 2330, the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 · H. Res. 118, Calling for the establishment of an international criminal tribunal · S. Res. 101, Calling for the prosecution of Iraqis and their supporters for war crimes · S. J. Res. 3/H con. Res. 32, Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to human rights in Central Asia · H. Con. Res. 136, Providing that NATO should play a greater role in promoting security in Afghanistan Policies/Issues Afghanistan: Urged the U.S. to provide greater assistance, particularly for security matters. Alien Tort Claims Act: Opposed efforts by the Dept. of Justice to prevent ATCA from being used by victims of human rights abuses against corporations. Burma: Urged the U.S. to impose greater sanctions. Central Asia: Discussed general human rights issues in the region. Colombia: Urged President to raise human rights during meeting, opposed certification of compliance with aid conditionality requirements of FY2003 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act (Public Law 108-7). Cuba: Worked to get resolution condemning human rights abuses passed at the U.N. Human Rights Commission. Egypt: Worked to get Egypt’s aid conditioned on compliance with the Convention against Torture. International Criminal Court: Urged U.S. to stop using bilateral impunity (Article 98) agreements that seek to exempt U.S. citizens from the ICC. Iraq: Pressed for the creation of an international criminal tribunal to try those accused of committing war crimes, urged that mass graves and other evidence of past abuses be protected, asked that greater resources be used to provide security for Iraqi civilians. Torture: Pressed for clarification by Bush administration following reports of the possible use of torture by U.S. personnel overseas, and urged Pres. Bush to condemn torture. UN Human Rights Commission: Urged the U.S. to work to get resolutions on Cuba, China, and Chechnya passed. Uzbekistan: Opposed certification of compliance with aid conditionality requirements of FY2003 Foreign Operations Appropriations Act (Public Law 108-7), worked to get Uzbekistan designated a “Country of Particular Concern” under the U.S. International Religious Freedom Act (Public Law 105-292) Other: Monitored State Department reports on human rights, democracy assistance, trafficking in persons, and religious freedom.