FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2006

Contact: 
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (202) 523-3240      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, ext. 27

WASHINGTON - A delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) traveled to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh February 21 - March 2. Commissioners on the delegation were USCIRF Chair Michael Cromartie, Vice Chair Felice D. Gaer, and Commissioners Preeta D. Bansal. In Sri Lanka, the delegation traveled to Colombo and Galle. In Bangladesh, the delegation traveled to Dhaka. In both countries, the delegation met with a broad range of individuals, including government officials, religious leaders, human rights advocates, civil society representatives, and international observers. The delegation consulted with these individuals on human rights issues, including freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief, as protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and other instruments.