FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2019

USCIRF Statement on Turkish Offensive in Northeast Syria

WASHINGTON, DC – In response to news reports that Turkey has launched airstrikes on the border region of northeast Syria, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is urging the Trump administration to demand Turkey cease airstrikes on or near civilian areas and end its partnership with radical Islamist militias that have wreaked havoc elsewhere in northern Syria.

“Civilians in territory controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who represent a diverse group of religious and ethnic communities, are now at dangerous risk of falling victim to the violent chaos that Turkey’s incursion is likely to spark,” said USCIRF Chair Tony Perkins. “The United States and international partners must move quickly to limit civilian casualties and to prevent a repeat of the disastrous occupation of Afrin, Syria, by Turkish forces and their Syrian militia allies since 2018, which has displaced beleaguered Kurds, Christians, Yazidis and others.”

“Northeast Syria was a relatively free but fragile environment before this dangerous incursion,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Gayle Manchin. “There is now a serious risk that Turkey’s offensive, and the likely redeployment of SDF troops to confront it, could open the door to a mass escape of ISIS detainees or a dangerous resurgence of the terrorist group in Syria and beyond.”

USCIRF noted in its 2019 Annual Report chapter on Syria that the Kurdish-led Autonomous Administration (AA) in northeast Syria had created a uniquely supportive religious freedom environment, “allowing Muslims, Christians, and other communities to openly practice and express their beliefs—even including the freedom for Muslims to convert to other traditions and for residents to express unbelief or atheism.”

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Dwight Bashir at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2019

USCIRF Responds to Yom Kippur Attack in Germany

Washington, DC (Oct. 9, 2019) –  Based on emerging reports of the killing of at least two people near a synagogue and Jewish cemetery in Halle, Germany today on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Tony Perkins, Vice Chair Gayle Manchin, and Commissioner Johnnie Moore issued the following statements: 

“We are appalled by reports of an attack near a Jewish religious site on one of the Jewish high holy days. While USCIRF primarily focuses its work on other parts of the world where egregious religious violations routinely occur, we have become increasingly concerned about the rise in anti-Semitic activity across Europe,” said Chair Perkins. 

“Today’s brazen attack on the holiest day of the Jewish calendar right outside of a synagogue in Halle is yet another terrible wake-up call to all of those in Europe and around the world who continue to be in denial about the resurgence of this age-old hatred against the Jewish people,” said Vice Chair Manchin, noting that USCIRF will be holding a hearing on protecting houses of worship on October 23^rd at 3pm in Room 106 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC.

“These incidents must stop and European leaders must become more vigilant in protecting Europe’s Jewish minorities, and we – at USCIRF – are putting the European Union on notice: you must do more to ensure your Jewish communities are safe and that the anti-Semitism festering within your borders is addressed,” said Commissioner Moore.

USCIRF Commissioner Gary L. Bauer hosted a summer seminar on anti-Semitism.  To view remarks and factsheets, click here. 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Dwight Bashir at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 8, 2019

USCIRF Launches the Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List

WASHINGTON, DC –United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Tony Perkins and Vice Chair Gayle Manchin today announced the launch of the Freedom of Religion of Belief (FoRB) Victims List, which is contained in a public online database. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), as amended by the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016, requires USCIRF to:

"make publicly available to the extent practicable, ... lists of persons [USCIRF] determines are imprisoned or detained, have disappeared, been placed under house arrest, been tortured, or subjected to forced renunciations of faith for their religious activity or religious freedom advocacy…”

The FoRB Victims List was publicly unveiled today at the International Religious Freedom Roundtable on Capitol Hill. Speaking at this event, Chair Perkins said, “We are thrilled to debut the FoRB Victims List. One of our hopes for this project is to work collaboratively to build and maintain a robust FoRB victims database that increases awareness of the grave plight of victims of religious freedom violations.”

“The launch of this database is an exciting development in the Commission’s history. Together, we can make the FoRB Victims List a central pillar of USCIRF’s engagement with the religious freedom advocacy community,” said Vice Chair Manchin.

IRFA stipulates that the FoRB Victims List include those victims from countries that it recommends for Country of Particular Concern – or CPC – designation and entities that it recommends for Entities of Particular Concern – or EPC – designation. The Commission is focusing first on countries recommended for CPC status, but will eventually also include victims targeted by entities that USCIRF has recommended for EPC status. The cases within this database should be viewed as indicative of the violations practiced by the governments or non-state actors, not as exhaustive or representative lists of total victims or a reflection of worldwide trends.

The FoRB Victims List is immediately available to browse and can be found here. Additionally, USCIRF encourages the public to utilize the Victims Intake Form to submit information about victims who should be included. A link to this intake form is on the footer of each page of the database, titled “Submit Victim Information,” or it can be accessed here.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion or belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.