WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 15 marks the 5^th anniversary of the peaceful protests that set the stage for the Syrian conflict.  This conflict has spawned a devastating humanitarian crisis with a death toll ranging between 250,000 and 470,000, 4.7 million Syrians registered as refugees in neighboring countries, more than 6.5 million internally displaced, and over 140,000 children born stateless.  This brutal conflict has become sectarian in nature, with Syria now an overwhelmingly hostile place for all ethno-religious groups, including Alawites, Christians, Druze, Shi’a and Sunni Muslims, and Turkmen.  

“The actions of the Bashar al-Assad regime, elements of the armed opposition, and terrorist groups, particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Jabhat al-Nusra, are responsible for the bloody conflagration in Syria. Along with the millions of Syrians who have been killed and displaced, the country’s religious diversity has been irrevocably damaged, with dire consequences that go far beyond the region,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George.

The civil war in Syria began in March 2011 when opponents of the oppressive al-Assad regime, mostly Sunni Muslims, peacefully protested and called for the repeal of the country's abusive emergency law, space for political parties, and President Bashar al-Assad’s resignation.  The al-Assad regime responded with a brutal crackdown and played on sectarian fears. U.S. designated terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, have supported the regime. The regime’s opponents included dozens of domestic and foreign groups, among them some that espouse democracy and are recognized by the United States, and others that are motivated by ideologies, religious or secular, that espouse violence, including ISIL.

“Over 13.5 million people in Syria need humanitarian assistance, as do the millions forced to flee to neighboring nations, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.  Such large numbers of refugees are straining resources and exacerbating sectarian tensions in these countries.  The United States has done much, having contributed over $4.5 billion in humanitarian aid to Syrians and neighboring countries, but more needs to be done given the scale of this crisis, not only for the sake of these millions of people, but for regional stability and U.S. national security,” said Chairman George.

USCIRF calls on the U.S. government to work with our international partners to prioritize the protection of and assistance to all non-combatant Syrians, especially vulnerable religious and ethnic minorities, and help ensure that issues related to religious freedom and human rights are included in any political negotiations that seek to end this devastating crisis.  USCIRF also urges the U.S. government to increase the number of Syrians accepted for resettlement to 100,000, subject to proper security vetting and a prioritization based on vulnerability, in order to aid those in the greatest peril, demonstrate U.S. leadership, and show support for governments in the Middle East and Europe that are hosting millions of refugees. USCIRF also calls on the U.S. government to allocate sufficient resources to the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies that conduct the rigorous individualized vetting of refugees being considered for resettlement in the United States, to allow them to expeditiously process applications and thoroughly conduct background checks in order to facilitate resettlements without compromising U.S. national security. 

USCIRF has recommended since 2014 that Syria be designated as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.   For more information, see USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report chapter on Syria.  

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or 202-786-0615.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Indian government today failed to issue visas to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in time for a long planned trip to India. The goal of the Commission’s trip was to discuss and assess religious freedom conditions in that nation.

“We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in effect, of these visas.  As a pluralistic, non-sectarian, and democratic state, and a close partner of the United States, India should have the confidence to allow our visit. USCIRF has been able to travel to many countries, including those that are among the worst offenders of religious freedom, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China, and Burma.  One would expect that the Indian government would allow for more transparency than have these nations, and would welcome the opportunity to convey its views directly to USCIRF,” said Robert P. George, Chairman of USCIRF.

The USCIRF delegation was scheduled to leave on March 4 and had the support of the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.  USCIRF’s principal responsibilities include reviewing, through the lens of international human rights law, the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and making policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.  USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission with commissioners appointed by the President and the leaders in both Houses of Congress. 

“USCIRF will continue to pursue a visit to India, given the ongoing reports from religious communities, civil society groups, and NGOs that the conditions for religious freedom in India have been deteriorating since 2014,” said Chairman George.

For more information about India see USCIRF’s chapter from the 2015 Annual Report. 

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].

The only Christian in Pakistan’s government, Bhatti was assassinated on March 2, 2011 outside his mother's home in Islamabad.  Bhatti’s murder followed the assassination of Salman Taseer, the Muslim governor of Punjab province, who also was killed for his opposition to Pakistan’s blasphemy law. Both men had championed Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death for blasphemy and today languishes in prison. Taseer’s bodyguard, who killed him while invoking the Qur’an, was hung on February 29, after having been convicted by an anti-terrorism court and sentenced to death.  It is shocking to note that many in Pakistan view the bodyguard as a hero. Bhatti’s killers remain at large.

Pakistan’s blasphemy law often is used against members of religious minority communities, including Ahmadis, Christians, and Hindus, as well as Muslims who hold views that extremists and others deem “un-Islamic” or offensive. Pakistan detains the greatest number of individuals for blasphemy of any country in the world; USCIRF knows of at least 38 prisoners of conscience who currently are being detained.

“The Pakistani government’s enforcement of its blasphemy law fosters a climate of impunity that emboldens religious extremist groups, their sympathizers, and others to target religious minorities and those with whom they disagree,” said Chairman George. “Given the Pakistani government’s perpetration and toleration of particularly severe violations of religious freedom, USCIRF continues to urge that Pakistan be designated a ‘country of particular concern’ (CPC) by the U.S. government.”

USCIRF since 2002 has recommended that the State Department name Pakistan as a CPC under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for its “systematic, ongoing and egregious” violations of religious freedom. The State Department has not designated Pakistan a CPC. For more information on religious freedom conditions in Pakistan and recommendations for U.S. policy, please see USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report chapter on Pakistan and a press release on a March 2015 trip to Pakistan.

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or 202-786-0615.