Country Reports on Human Rights Practices

Section 116(d) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2151n(d)) is amended— (1) in paragraph (2), by striking and involuntary sterilization and inserting, involuntary or coercive medical or psychological practices, and discrimination against people in accessing maternal, sexual, and reproductive health care, including obstetric violence, involuntary or coerced abortion, involuntary or coerced pregnancy, and coerced sterilization; (2) in paragraph (5), by inserting whether such country has facilitated the return of persons to a country where they would face torture or persecution (refoulement) and after including; (3) in paragraph (11)(C), by striking Secretary; and and inserting Secretary;; (4) in paragraph (12)— (A) in subparagraph (A)— (i) by inserting and freedom of expression after status of freedom of the press; and (ii) inserting or freedom of expression after in favor of freedom of the press; (B) in subparagraph (B)— (i) by inserting or freedom of expression after violations of freedom of the press; and (ii) by striking and censorship and inserting censorship and restrictions on internet freedom or access to information; and (C) in subparagraph (C)— (i) by inserting or freedom of expression after violations of freedom of the press; (ii) in clause (i), by striking of the freedom of the press; and (iii) in clause (ii), by striking journalists. and inserting journalists;; (5) in paragraph (13)— (A) by striking Wherever and inserting wherever; (B) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (E) as subparagraphs (C) through (F), respectively; (C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following new subparagraph: (B) harassment or punishment of family members residing in the country for alleged offenses by a relative, including relatives forced into exile or residing outside of the country for fear of political persecution;; and (D) in subparagraph (F), as redesignated by subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, by striking occur. and inserting occur;; and (6) by adding at the end the following new paragraphs: (14) wherever applicable, a description of restrictions on freedom of movement and residence within and travel to and from the country; (15) wherever applicable, whether a country facilitates or maintains laws, policies, or practices that create or perpetuate stateless persons or discriminate against internally displaced persons in that country; (16) wherever applicable, arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy; (17) wherever applicable, a description of serious and unreasonable restrictions on political participation or the ability of citizens to elect public representatives through free and fair elections and universal and equal suffrage, including— (A) substantial interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly or association; and (B) government efforts to restrict civic space and the ability of civil society, including nongovernmental organizations, academia, media, labor unions, and social movements, to engage in public life; (18) wherever applicable, a description of serious government corruption and its impact on human rights in the country; (19) wherever applicable, a description of laws, discrimination, violence, or threats of violence targeting members of groups, including women and girls, persons with disabilities, national, racial, ethnic groups, indigenous peoples, LGBTQI+ individuals, or vulnerable migrant populations; and (20) wherever applicable, a description of any factors undermining due process or an independent and impartial judiciary free of corruption and political influence and whether trials are fair and public and afford criminal defendants the minimum fair trial guarantees recognized internationally as necessary for a criminal defense, including— (A) whether persons have been convicted, imprisoned, or detained essentially for political beliefs or nonviolent acts of dissent or expression, particularly based on overly broad and sweeping charges intended to stifle the exercise of human rights and fundamental freedoms; and (B) whether prison and detention center conditions or mistreatment in such facilities has resulted in deaths or forms of cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment and unusual punishment..