Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 105 Part 3.djvu/558

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105 STAT. 2442 CONCURRENT RESOLUTIONS—NOV. 23, 1991 prohibiting forced labor exports, at all levels of the Chinese government and Chinese prison system; and (D) vigorously reform the Chinese political, judicial, penal, and economic systems so that Chinese citizens are not jailed for their political and religious beliefs, all Chinese citizens accused of crimes receive fair and open trials, Chinese prisoners are adequately compensated for their work, and workplace conditions in Chinese prisons are safe and humane; and (2) urges the Government of Hong Kong, and the governments of other nations through which Chinese products are transhipped, to prohibit the importation of Chinese forced labor producte and to investigate thoroughly trading companies suspected of dealing in prison-made goods. Nov. 23, 1991 [H. Con. Res. 188] Agreed to November 21, 1991. SYRIAN JEWS—DENIAL OF RIGHTS Whereas the estimated 4,000 Jews in Syria are deprived of their internationaly recognized human righte to freedom of emigration and movement; Whereas Syrian Jews who wish to leave the country must post an onerous monetary deposit and leave family members behind as assurance for their return; Whereas the restrictions on emigration and movement on Syrian Jews violate the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Sjn-ia is a signatory; Whereas Sjnrian Jews are restricted in the extent of their contact with their families outside Syria; Whereas the Syrian secret police (Mukhabarat) engage in 24 hour a day surveillance of the Jewish quarter in Damascus, keep a file on every Jewish person, monitor all contacts between Jews and foreigners, and read mail and wiretap phone conversations of Syrian Jews; Whereas some members of the Syrian Jewish community have been arrested on mere suspicion of intention to leave Syria and are imprisoned without trial, often tortured, and held incommunicado; Whereas families of those Syrian Jews who succeed in fleeing the country are subject to imprisonment and torture; Whereas there are at present 6 Syrian Jews in prison for attempting to leave S)a*ia, 2 of which have been incarcerated since 1987; and Whereas Syrian President Hafez ed-Assad has ignored the repeated efforts of the United States President, the State Department, and Members of Congress to secure the freedom of emigration for the Syrian Jewish community: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring). That the Congress— (1) condemns S3nda's continuing denial of Syrian Jews' internationaly recognized rights to freedom of emigration and movement and calls upon the Syrian Government to—