{ "id": "R43383", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "number": "R43383", "active": false, "source": "EveryCRSReport.com, University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "versions": [ { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 427692, "date": "2014-01-26", "retrieved": "2016-04-06T23:09:34.308070", "title": "The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics: Security and Human Rights Issues", "summary": "The President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced on July 4, 2007, that Sochi, Russia, had been selected as the host city for the Olympic Winter Games and Paralympics. The Olympic Games, which will be held February 7-23, 2014, are the first to be hosted by Russia as a successor state to the former Soviet Union. Reportedly, some 230 U.S. athletes out of approximately 2,900 from some 88 countries, and about 10,000 U.S. visitors, are expected in Sochi. Olympic events will take place at two main locations: a coastal cluster along the Black Sea and a mountain cluster in the Krasnaya Polyana mountains.\nSince the 2007 selection of Sochi as the site of Olympic Games, many observers, including some in Congress, have raised concerns about security and human rights conditions in Sochi and elsewhere in Russia. Sochi is in Russia\u2019s North Caucasus area, which has experienced ongoing terrorist incidents, including several bombings in recent weeks. Through hearings, legislation, oversight, and other action, some Members of Congress have expressed concerns over Russia\u2019s hosting of the Sochi Olympic Games and Paralympics, particularly the risks that terrorism and human rights violations might pose to U.S. athletes and visitors. Other broader congressional concerns have included whether the United States should participate in the Games in the face of increasing tensions in U.S.-Russia relations and the Russian government\u2019s growing restrictions on the civil and human rights of its citizens. Some Members of Congress have called for boycotting the Games. Others have cautioned that U.S. citizens should carefully weigh the security risks of attending, and have urged greater U.S.-Russia counter-terrorism cooperation to ameliorate threats to the Games. In the period during and after the Games, Congress may continue to exercise oversight and otherwise raise concerns about the safety and human rights treatment of U.S. athletes and visitors and the impact of the Games and other developments in Russia on the future of U.S.-Russia relations.\nOn January 24, 2014, a senior Administration official stressed that the full resources of the U.S. government were being readied to support U.S. athletes, the official delegations, and other citizens attending the Games. Administration officials have argued that U.S.-Russia security cooperation is adequate for safely holding the Games, but have added that conditions are being monitored and U.S. athletes and the public will be notified if they change. They also have stated that there are contingencies for emergencies, including the possible evacuation of U.S. citizens if necessary. Some observers have raised concerns about whether security is adequate and have criticized Russia for not cooperating more with the United States on safeguarding the Games.\nOne non-sport-related factor that has added an additional dimension to the Olympics beyond security has been the issue of human rights. In 2013 the Russian legislature, at the urging of President Putin, adopted a series of anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) laws. In reaction, in late July 2013, the State Department called on Russia to protect freedom of assembly and association and freedom of expression of U.S. citizens attending or participating in the Olympic Games, including LGBT persons and others traveling to Sochi. In late December 2013, the Obama Administration announced that the U.S. delegates to the Games would not include top-level officials, but would include several LGBT sports figures. The State Department\u2019s January 2014 travel alert reflects human rights concerns when it advises U.S. visitors that they should have \u201cno expectation of privacy,\u201d and that all means of communication should be assumed to be monitored. The travel alert also cautions that the anti-LGBT propaganda law applies to foreigners, who may be fined, jailed, and/or deported.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/R43383", "sha1": "b9bb2ae31873ce0207c131cd8628eda316362e30", "filename": "files/20140126_R43383_b9bb2ae31873ce0207c131cd8628eda316362e30.html", "images": null }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "http://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R43383", "sha1": "4900c072cd2ff679eb9d3cc2a4d659ca83ad067a", "filename": "files/20140126_R43383_4900c072cd2ff679eb9d3cc2a4d659ca83ad067a.pdf", "images": null } ], "topics": [] }, { "source": "University of North Texas Libraries Government Documents Department", "sourceLink": "https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc276887/", "id": "R43383_2014Jan26", "date": "2014-01-06", "retrieved": "2014-03-05T18:18:19", "title": "The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics: Security and Human Rights Issues", "summary": "This report discusses the security and human rights issues at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORT", "active": false, "formats": [ { "format": "PDF", "filename": "files/20140106_R43383_421fbffba8c581c9d24d9ca9111d9fc624c65f0b.pdf" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/20140106_R43383_421fbffba8c581c9d24d9ca9111d9fc624c65f0b.html" } ], "topics": [ { "source": "LIV", "id": "Olympic games", "name": "Olympic games" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Security measures", "name": "Security measures" }, { "source": "LIV", "id": "Human rights", "name": "Human rights" } ] } ], "topics": [ "American Law", "European Affairs", "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security", "Russian, Central Asian, and Eurasian Affairs" ] }