-9999

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, periodically, I have come to the Senate floor to raise the issue of political prisoners languishing in jails around the world. You would wonder why I do this. Well, it came to my attention that there are some real miscarriages of justice in terms of these political prisoners, and it also came to my attention that when I make a speech on the floor, sometimes people hear it and it makes a difference.

Thanks to the good work of Chris Homan, my chief staffer on this project, we have been party to and assisting in many releases of prisoners around the world. Some have come to visit me in my office here at the Capitol, saying they were languishing in prison and nobody even knew they were alive and that I gave a speech and I talked to the Ambassador and, the next thing you know, they are home.

So on the off chance that good fortune will come through again, I am going to make this effort this evening and am joined by Senator Welch of Vermont.

There are journalists, activists, opposition candidates, and everyday citizens who are too often victims of petty, repressive regimes for simply trying to exercise basic democratic freedoms we take for granted in this country. Over the years, many of those eventually released have come to see me here in DC. Without fail, they say that their jailers cruelly tried to make them think they were forgotten and shared how sustaining it was to know voices around the world kept attention on their plight. So I will raise a few more cases today, and I am glad to be joined by my friend, the junior Senator from Vermont Senator Welch, who is also taking up this effort.

I would like to first start with the country of Eritrea--an abysmal human rights record in that country. It has the nickname, the distinction, of being the North Korea of Africa. Eritrea has been ruled, since its independence three decades ago, by President Afwerki, whose regime has a well-documented history of arresting or forcibly disappearing thousands of political prisoners into secret detention centers known for appalling conditions, usually without any charges, trial, or sentencing.

In September 2001, Eritrea banned all independent media and arbitrarily arrested journalists for any criticism of the government. Let me highlight a few who have been jailed for more than two decades-- two decades: Dawit Isaak, an award-winning Swedish-Eritrean journalist; Amanuel Asrat, a distinguished poet and publisher; Seyoum Tsehaye, a war journalist and television executive; and, finally, Temesgen Gebreyesus, an actor and journalist. All are depicted on this sign.

They remain imprisoned, along with thousands of Eritreans, under unimaginable conditions, with no end in sight. I urge President Afwerki: End this madness. Free these political prisoners. It would be an important step toward establishing your reputation in the world and ending international sanctions and Eritrea's isolation.

Next, Saudi Arabia, a country with which we have shared many interests and also in which unacceptable political repression continues to complicate our relationship.

I have long advocated for the case of writer Raif Badawi--over in this corner--who, in 2022, was at last released after spending 10 years in a Saudi prison for the crime of exercising his right to free speech. Yet, to this day, he remains subject to a cruel travel ban, preventing him from reuniting with his family in Canada.

Waleed Abu al-Khair, a women's rights activist, and Salma al-Shehab are other such prisoners. Waleed has been in prison since 2014 for his human rights work, and in 2022, Salma was given an outrageous 34-year prison sentence for this. Let me tell you what her crime was. Ready? She used Twitter. That was it. Enough--34 years; throw away the key.

For too long, the Saudi Crown Prince has silenced dissidents and pro- democracy activists while claiming to embrace reform. Such reform should include allowing Raif to unite with his family in Canada as well as unconditionally releasing Waleed, Salma, and countless other political prisoners without delay.

Next, the Asian country of Tajikistan, which wants to increase security and economic cooperation with the United States. As I have long said, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially for opposition parties, remains critical for countries that want a closer relationship with the United States.

As such, I urged the release of human rights lawyer Buzurgmehr Yorov, who is serving 28 years in prison for simply representing Tajikistan's legal opposition in court.

Lastly, I want to focus on the nation of Vietnam, with whom, amid China's bullying in the region, the United States has built a remarkably good reputation over the years. Yet Vietnam remains at the bottom of World Press Freedom Index. In 2024, Vietnam ranked 174th out of 180 nations. The Vietnamese Government continues to heavily restrict free speech, with too many journalists and human rights defenders facing harassment, detention, and harsh prison sentences under so- called anti-state propaganda laws.

This includes people like Pham Chi Dung, one of the most popular writers on Voice of America's Vietnamese service, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2021--he helped create the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam--and Pham Doan Trang, considered one of the most prominent Vietnamese dissidents, who so far has served 4 years of a 9-year prison sentence. Just this year, she was awarded PEN America's Barbey Freedom to Write Award, adding to an already long list of awards from several governments and press freedom groups.

In 2020, just before her arrest, she wrote very movingly--and I want to quote her:

I don't want freedom for just myself; that's too easy. I want something greater: freedom for Vietnam.

That is an amazing show of courage. I have seen the same from so many other political prisoners around the world, willing to go to prison for their freedom.

Before I turn the floor over to Senator Welch, I want to remind these brave individuals in Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Vietnam that you are not forgotten. We will continue to advocate for your well- being and release and speak your names to the world. And when you are free, please come visit me here at the Capitol. I will be waiting to shake your hand.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. DURBIN. I want to thank my colleague Senator Welch from Vermont. He is a great partner in this effort. His heart is in the same place mine is.

One of the things that just struck me that some of the prisoners said to me when they came home and made it to the United States, to my office--one of them said: You don't realize that your mentioning my name on the floor of the U.S. Senate could have saved my life.

Many of the jailers and oppressive governments that have these people imprisoned beat them, torture them, starve them, and believe no one knows or no one cares. But if all of a sudden the name of that prisoner becomes conversation at the Embassy or at the State Department or even in some of the halls of leadership of governments around the Nation, they think twice before they hurt them or kill them.

It is hard to imagine that our simple speech on the floor could have that impact, but it has. I thank you for joining me in this effort. I hope our colleagues will join us as well.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source