Definitions

In this Act: (1) Appropriate congressional committees The term appropriate congressional committees means— (A) the Committee on Foreign Relations and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and (B) the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives. (2) Political prisoner The term political prisoner means a person who has been deprived of his or her personal liberty if— (A) the detention has been imposed in violation of one of the fundamental guarantees set out in the European Convention on Human Rights, particularly— (i) freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; (ii) freedom of expression and information; and (iii) freedom of assembly and association; (B) the detention has been imposed for purely political reasons without connection to any offense; (C) for political motives, the length of the detention or its conditions are clearly out of proportion to the offense of which the person has been found guilty or is suspected; (D) for political motives, he or she is detained in a discriminatory manner as compared to other persons; or (E) the detention is the result of proceedings which were clearly unfair and appear to be connected with political motives of the authorities. (3) Prisoner of conscience The term prisoner of conscience means any person who— (A) is imprisoned or otherwise physically restricted solely for the peaceful exercise of the individual’s human rights; and (B) has not used violence or advocated violence or hatred.