The Assembly,
Recalling that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides in Article 3 that "everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person" and in Article 2 that everyone is entitled to this right "without distinction of any kind such as ... political or other opinion";
Considering, furthermore, that Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides that "no one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile" and that Article 10 states that "everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public trial by an independent and impartial tribunal in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charges against him";
Aware that some political prisoners, mostly Communists, who were in one way or another allegedly opposed to the rulers of the day, have recently been set free in Eastern Europe, including the U.S.S. R.,
Calls attention to the fact that large numbers of non-communist political prisoners about whom no information is available must still be presumed in prison ;
Emphasises the deplorable fact that many of these people were condemned arbitrarily to long terms of imprisonment or hard labour by administrative decisions ;
Considers that it is the duty of humanity to call for the immediate release of political prisoners, whether fellow-communists or not, in Central and Eastern Europe ;
Invites the President of the Assembly to write to the President of the Supreme Soviet of the U.S.S.R. and to the Presidents of the Legislative Assemblies of the other Communist States of Eastern Europe, requesting information as to the fate and present whereabouts of the persons listed in the AppendixNote)to this Resolution and transmitting the Assembly's call for the immediate release of political prisoners;
Invites the Member Governments to arrange for this Resolution (and the lists appended theretoNote) to be considered at the forthcoming session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.