FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 7, 2007

Contact: 
Judith Ingram, Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (202) 523-3240      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, ext. 127

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) will hold the second of two hearings on Iraq on Sept. 19 from1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Russell Senate Office Building, Room 485.* The hearing will examine the causes and patterns of intra-Muslim sectarian violence, including what role, if any, the Iraqi government currently plays in that violence. It will address the extent to which individual Muslims are being targeted for killings and other violence on account of their religious identity, and examine U.S. policy regarding Iraq's refugee crisis. Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) is expected to participate.

Witnesses include:

Assistant Secretary of State Ellen Sauerbrey , Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (invited)

Dr. Judith Yaphe , a specialist in Middle Eastern political analysis at the National Defense University's Institute for National Strategic Studies (INSS)  (confirmed)

Dr. Kenneth Katzman , a specialist in Middle East affairs for the Congressional Research Service, with special emphasis on Iran and Iraq (confirmed)

Mr. Bakhtiar Amin , a former Iraqi Minister of Human Rights with two decades' experience in the field of international human rights. (invited)

Ms. Judy Cheng-Hopkins , theUN High Commissioner for Refugees'Assistant High Commissioner for Operations (confirmed) 

Ms. Niurka Piñeiro , Regional Coordinator with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) (confirmed)

RSVP:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or (202) 523-3240 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (202) 523-3240      end_of_the_skype_highlighting x 114

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*Tentative location; please check www.uscirf.gov closer to the date to confirm.