U.S. Helsinki Commission

Today marks 27 years since Ylli Bytyqi, Agron Bytyqi, and Mehmet Bytyqi, three American citizens were murdered after being transferred to Serbian police custody in 1999. Their family still awaits justice.

Learn more about Russia’s tech-enabled authoritarian governance on the occupied territories of eastern Ukraine and Crimea by streaming our briefing here: youtube.com/live/R0h33K7rw…

The Kremlin’s push to erase Ukrainians’ identity in occupied regions relies on an information blackout and floods of propaganda. Russia is blocking access to Ukrainian & Western media while saturating the occupied territories with bot-driven messaging and state-run content. (1/2)

The Russian sanctions legislation championed by my friend Sen. Graham will continue to have my full support in the Senate. We should enact this bipartisan measure to exert maximum economic pressure on Putin’s war machine and help bring this unjust war to an end.

Productive week of meetings at the annual session of @oscepa, an organisation founded on the premise that democracy and security are inextricably linked. Thank you for keeping human rights at the centre of the international agenda. (Photo credit: U.S. Helsinki Commission, Parliament of Canada, Norwegian Storting)

As a member of the Helsinki Commission, I have advanced proposals at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in support of Ukraine and in opposition to Putin's war crimes. I also warned that the Lukashenko regime's attacks on dissidents in Belarus serve as a repression playbook for other authoritarians to imitate.

While I wish I could be home in beautiful Eastern North Carolina this Independence Day to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, as a member of the @HelsinkiComm I am proud to represent the United States at @OSCE. I will be voting for Russia to stop their aggression and return their captives, especially the children.

What a way to celebrate our 250th year of independence! Thank you to the @HelsinkiComm for your support of the #OSCE.  I look forward to a great partnership with CiO @ignaziocassis to reform, refine, & refocus the organization. #Freedom250

It was great to join Members of Congress from the @HelsinkiComm at their @oscepa in The Hague over the past few days. We have separate and distinct roles, authorities, and governance, but share a common goal: advancing American interests and strengthening security across the OSCE region. I look forward to continuing our close partnership.

Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) led a congressional delegation to Slovenia July 7–9. Ambassador Roberts and the delegation met with Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Jernej Vrtovec, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tone Kajzer, and other senior Slovenian government officials to advance the strong partnership between the United States and Slovenia — from energy security to our shared commitments as NATO Allies.

A record 60% of Russians interviewed between March and May said their local economic conditions are deteriorating—the first time since 2006 that a majority have felt their economy is getting worse. —@Gallup news.gallup.com/poll/711989/ru…

“Another round of deadly Russian strikes on Kyiv last night should be a warning for next week’s #NATOSummit: the time to act is now. The United States and our allies must choke off Putin’s war machine with sanctions and provide further aid for Ukraine’s defense.” -@SenatorShaheen

One of the worst Russian missile and drone attacks on Kyiv ever, with 74 missiles and 496 drones, indiscriminate as always. Several residential buildings collapsed, 13 people confirmed killed, many more missing and still trapped under the rubble as rescue operations go on. Unable to advance on the frontline, faced with the blockade of Crimea and a fuel crisis at home, Putin is doing what he still can: killing Ukrainian civilians. 📸 Ukraine state emergency service

As of today, only two facilities among Russia’s largest by refining capacity haven’t been struck by Ukraine. Both of them are beyond the Urals. meduza.io/en/feature/202…

Russia is using technology as a weapon of occupation, surveilling civilians, isolating communities, & suppressing freedom in Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories. We thank @HelsinkiComm for highlighting this issue & the need to protect the freedoms. tinyurl.com/w2exavzw

Yesterday’s briefing was a reminder of both the resilience of Ukrainians & the many ways in which we’ve allowed Russia’s hatred-laced repressive apparatus to fester & grow. Honored to have had the opportunity to convene experts to discuss the state of play in occupied Ukraine.

Russia is weaponizing technology to tighten its grip on Ukraine's temporarily occupied territories through surveillance, digital isolation, and censorship. The @HelsinkiComm briefing highlighted how Moscow uses tech-enabled authoritarianism to control occupied territories and discussed ways the U.S. and partners can help reconnect Ukrainians with independent information and secure communications. 🎥 Watch the briefing: tinyurl.com/w2exavzw 📷 @JamestownTweets

On June 25, Jamestown analyst @Max_Beznosiuk briefed the U.S. @HelsinkiComm on Russia's tech-enabled authoritarianism in occupied Ukraine. He detailed how Moscow pairs violence with digital isolation, reengineering telecom networks, surveilling phones, and suppressing speech to sever Ukrainians' hope of reunification, providing insight into the dynamics of repression taking place in the occupied territory. #Ukraine #Russia #Technology #Repression #JamestownFoundation

My final @HudsonInstitute paper is out. It examines how corruption shapes and empowers America’s most dangerous adversaries. Countering their kleptocracy is not a distraction from pursuing core U.S. interests—but a prerequisite for doing so effectively. hudson.org/economics/us-c…

Russia is deploying new technological tactics to control the information space and suppress resistance in occupied areas of Ukraine. Tune in @HelsinkiComm—live now👇