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Politics

Marco Rubio, Lois Frankel Take Aim at Saudi Arabia Cracking Down on Activists for Women

February 18, 2019 - 9:00am
Marco Rubio and Lois Frankel
Marco Rubio and Lois Frankel

Two members of the Florida delegation--Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and Democrat U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel--are leading the charge on Capitol Hill to condemn the Saudi regime for arresting women’s activists. 

From his perch on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Rubio paired up with U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., to introduce the resolution last week. 

“The Rubio-Cardin Resolution calls on the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to immediately release and drop any politically motivated charges against the detained Saudi women’s rights activists related to peaceful activities to advance human rights in Saudi Arabia, which are protected under international law," Rubio’s office noted. The resolution also “expresses concern over the reported use of torture by the Government of Saudi Arabia against the women’s activists, and urges investigation into such allegations and the holding accountable of perpetrators; recognizes that the strategic relationship with Saudi Arabia is in the national interest of the United States; reaffirms that the global recognition and protection of basic human rights, including women’s rights, is in the national security interest of the United States; urges the Government of Saudi Arabia to reform its laws that restrict basic human rights, including women’s rights, such as by abolishing the male guardianship system; urges the President and the Secretary of State to affirm the support of the United States for the right of activists to peacefully advocate for the protection of universal human rights.”

The resolution also “calls on the President to press the Government of Saudi Arabia to immediately release all political prisoners, human rights defenders, journalists, and bloggers, including Raif Badawi, Waleed Abu al-Khair, and others who support religious freedom, and the women’s rights activists detained after May 2018; and calls on the President to comply with the request submitted under subsection (d) of section 1263 of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act (subtitle F of title XII of Public Law 114-328; 22 U.S.C. 2656 note) for a determination under subsection (a) of that section with respect to the persons responsible for the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.”

Rubio and Cardin also reeled in the backing of Republican U.S. Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Ben Sasse of Nebraska and Democrat U.S. Sens. Cory Booker of New Kersey, Chris Coons of Delaware, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Ed Markey of Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Chris Murphy of Connecticut and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire. 

Over in the House, Frankel, with the support of U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo., brought out a similar proposal “condemning the Government of Saudi Arabia's continued detention and alleged abuse of women's rights activists.”

Frankel weighed in on why she was championing the proposal. 

“For nearly a year, Saudi Arabia has imprisoned women’s rights activists and reportedly subjected several of them to horrific abuse – including waterboarding and electric shocks – all because they fought for their basic human rights. Today, I introduced a bipartisan resolution urging Saudi officials to end this crackdown and immediately release the activists, and calling for the U.S. to sanction any Saudi officials responsible,” Frankel noted. 

Comments

I'm in absolute agreement. The problem is, America has so many irons in the fire, I'm not sure we can continue to do very much more at this point

The Saudis are probably fearful that these "activists" will "pull off" something akin to "our 19th Amendment, which would screw up their country as well (while waiting for "the world to end in 12 years"....)

"Pile on" boys and girls,.. since there's no apparent indication you pettifoggers are doing anything of substance here, at home, in America; (and then, with no shame,.. "broadcasting" your Congressional ineffectiveness in the media)----(I guess that has become "habit-forming" by now)!!!

The Kashoggi affair is MORE than enough reason for this country to totally ostracize Saudi Arabia and its leadership.

WHO, after all, was "Kashoggi"?... No one worthy of affecting ANY country's political policy, too be sure ! !

There is much to be learned about the support the current administration gives to Saudi Arabia. Although past administrations, especially the Bushes, kept ties with Saudi, none had to face the current violations of human rights, which are exposed more broadly thanks to social media. But no American presidents would have continued supporting the Saudi behind the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi --- except the Trumps................. "The Wooing of Jared Kushner: How the Saudis Got a Friend in the White House "..................... https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/08/world/middleeast/saudi-mbs-jared-kushner.html

Oh,... you mean the same "social media" that predicted Hillary was "heir apparent to the throne"?... The same "social media" that regurgitates a neophyte Congressional nitwit's assinine statements that "the world is ending in 12 years"..? The same "social media" that attracts, and thrives, on fools and morons possessing not a whit of common sense nor educational abilities to insure their survival in the "real world", where 'heads' are removed and bodies are piled...? "Keep your heads in the sand" fools (and try to remember, that your butts are still in the air); Who's going to save YOU?!?

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