Issue Position: Human Rights

Issue Position

Issue Position: Human Rights

As Americans we must protect human rights both at home and abroad--the right to live freely without the threat of violence or repression, the right to live with dignity and respect. Speaker Pelosi has led the fight to end the suffering of people worldwide.

CHINA

Recognizing the Tianamen Square Massacre AnniversarySpeaker Pelosi has joined with fellow members of Congress in calling for freedom of religion, speech, and assembly in China. Today, the human rights situation in China remains poor. The Olympics in Beijing should provide an opportunity for more free expression. But unfortunately, news reports have suggested a pre-Olympic crackdown on peaceful activists including journalists, lawyers, and human rights defenders. As the Olympic torch made its way around the world in advance of the Games, it was met with those protesting China's human rights record.

Speaker Pelosi has called on President Bush to make human rights and freedom of the press top priorities during his visit to Beijing for the Olympics. On August 1, she wrote a letter to the President, stating, "Your recent meetings with Chinese dissidents at the White House are to be commended. However, your participation at the opening ceremony of the Olympics will send a signal to the Chinese people and the international community that could be misperceived as your approval, and that of the American people, for the draconian policies of the Chinese government. Therefore, it is essential that you unambiguously speak out for human rights and meet with the families of jailed prisoners of conscience while you are in Beijing."

On August 6, after news reports that the Chinese government revoked a visa for Olympic gold medalist and Team Darfur co-founder Joey Cheek, Speaker Pelosi called on President Bush to secure his entry to the Games. She said, "The Olympic Charter states that "Any form of discrimination with regard to a country of a person on the grounds of race, religion, politics, gender, or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.' The International Olympic Committee is tolerating clear violations of both the Olympic ideals and the commitments the Chinese government made in order to host the Olympic Games."

On July 30, the House passed H.Res. 1370 - Calling on the Government of the People's Republic of China to immediately end abuses of the human rights of its citizens, to cease repression of Tibetan and Uighur citizens, and to end its support for the Governments of Sudan and Burma to ensure that the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games take place in an atmosphere that honors the Olympic traditions of freedom and openness.

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