Sec. 10. Protecting political prisoners
351 words·~2 min read·
/bill/118/s/3854/is/section-10·A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit a report to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives that includes, with respect to unjustly detained political prisoners worldwide— a description of existing Department of State processes and efforts to carry out the political prisoner-related activities described in subsection (b); an assessment of any resource gaps or institutional deficiencies that adversely impact the Department of State’s ability to engage in the activities described in subsection
(b)in order to respond to increasing numbers of unjustly detained political prisoners; and a strategy for enhancing the efforts of the Department of State and other Federal agencies to carry out the political prisoner-related activities described in subsection (b). The report required under subsection
(a)shall include a description of the Department of State's efforts— to monitor regional and global trends concerning unjustly detained political prisoners and maintain information regarding individual cases; to consistently raise concerns regarding unjustly detained political prisoners, including specific individuals, through public and private engagement with foreign governments, public reporting, and multilateral engagement; to routinely— attend the trials of political prisoners; conduct wellness visits of political prisoners, to the extent practicable and pending approval from political prisoners or their legal counsel; visit political prisoners incarcerated under home arrest, subject to a travel ban, or confined in detention; and report on the well-being of such political prisoners; to regularly request information and specific actions related to individual prisoners’ medical conditions, treatment, access to legal counsel, location, and family visits; to identify cases in which an imminent arrest, a potential re-arrest, or physical violence poses a risk to an at-risk individual; to utilize foreign assistance resources to provide support to civil society and others advocating for the release of unjustly detained political prisoners; to utilize embassy resources to provide shelter or facilitate the safe evacuation of willing individuals and their families, whenever feasible; and to use sanctions and other accountability mechanisms to encourage the release of unjustly detained political prisoners.