Displaying results 1 - 69 of 69

9/19/2007 : Public Hearing: Sectarian Violence in Iraq and the Refugee Crisis
Sep 19, 2007 Dirksen Senate Office Building September 19, 2007 Summary Agenda Opening Remarks - Michael Cromartie, Commission Chair Remarks - Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) Remarks - Sen. Gordon Smith…
9/19/2007 : Public Hearing: Sectarian Violence in Iraq and the Refugee Crisis
Sep 19, 2007 Dirksen Senate Office Building September 19, 2007 Summary Agenda Opening Remarks - Michael Cromartie, Commission Chair Remarks - Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) Remarks - Sen. Gordon Smith (R-…
Hearing on Sectarian Violence in Iraq and the Refugee Crisis: Summary
Mar 20, 2008 Wednesday, September 19, 1:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 138 SUMMARY The United States is taking measures to step up processing of Iraqi refugees, a senior State Department…
Hearing on Sectarian Violence in Iraq and the Refugee Crisis: Opening Remarks by Commission Chair Michael Cromartie
Mar 20, 2008 September 19, 2007 Good afternoon. My name is Michael Cromartie, and I serve as chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. I'd like to welcome you today to our second of two hearings on…
Hearing on Sectarian Violence in Iraq and the Refugee Crisis: Remarks by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Mar 20, 2008 September 19, 2007 And I welcome you to an appropriations committee hearing room in the Senate. It's nice to have an appropriation committee hearing room for a proceeding like this, an important proceeding.…
Hearing on Sectarian Violence in Iraq and the Refugee Crisis: Remarks by Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Mar 20, 2008 September 19, 2007 Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for inviting me to this meeting of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. I'm honored to testify before you today on the…
Hearing on Sectarian Violence in Iraq and the Refugee Crisis: Testimony by Dr. Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle East Affairs, Congressional Research Service
Mar 20, 2008 September 19, 2007 Thank you for asking me to appear. I have been asked today to discuss primarily the effects of sectarian violence on religious freedom and human rights, with particular attention to the…
SYRIA: USCIRF Issues Report on "Protecting and Promoting Religious Freedom in Syria"
Apr 19, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal agency created to monitor religious freedom abuses abroad and make policy recommendations to the…
USCIRF's 2013 Annual Report on the State of International Religious Freedom Identifies World's Worst Violators
Apr 30, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 30, 2013| By USCIRF Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal advisory body created by the International Religious Freedom…
SYRIA: The Sectarian Divide
May 16, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 16, 2013 | By USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C.- The two-year armed conflict in Syria has left at least 80,000 people dead and more than 5 million displaced. In his May 13, 2013 press conference with…
USCIRF Welcomes IRF Report; Calls for CPC Designations
May 21, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 21, 2013 | By USCIRF WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today welcomed the State Department's release of its 2012 International Religious Freedom…
USCIRF Letter to President Obama on Upcoming Meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki
Oct 31, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 2013 | By USCIRF USCIRF Letter to President Obama on Upcoming Meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)…
SYRIA: Religious Minorities Need a Voice at Geneva II Peace Conference
Jan 15, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 14, 2014| USCIRF The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today urged the U.S. government to emphasize the plight of religious minorities and the protection of…
USCIRF Condemns ISIL’s Actions in Mosul, Iraq
Jul 22, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) joins the U.S. State Department in condemning in the strongest terms the actions of the terrorist group…
USCIRF’s Concerns Deepen After ISIL Targets Iraq’s Yazidis and Other Religious Minorities
Aug 6, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 6, 2014 | USCIRF The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns in the strongest terms the actions that the terrorist group ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the…
USCIRF Condemns Abduction of more than 200 Assyrian Christians and Urges Their Immediate Release
Feb 27, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 27, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns the abduction of more than 200 Assyrian Christians by militants of the…
Syria: Four Years Later
Mar 16, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 16, 2015 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 15 marked the 4th anniversary of the protests in Damascus, Aleppo and Daraa which set the stage for the Syrian conflict.  On this sad…
Mosul: One Year Later
Jun 8, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 8, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) solemnly marks the one year anniversary of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant’s (ISIL)…
One Year Later: The Attack on Mount Sinjar
Aug 3, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) this week solemnly marks the one-year anniversary of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant's (ISIL) attacks in…
USCIRF Welcomes Release of State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report; Urges Prompt CPC Designations
Oct 21, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 21, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomed the October 14 release by the U.S. State Department of its International Religious…
USCIRF Calls for Continued Syrian Refugee Resettlement
Dec 1, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 1, 2015 USCIRF Calls for Continued Syrian Refugee Resettlement Rigorous individualized vetting allows the United States to both welcome Syrian refugees and protect security.…
USCIRF Statement on the Designation of Victims of Genocide, Persecution, and Crimes Against Humanity in Syria and Iraq
Dec 7, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 7, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today issued the following statement:   USCIRF calls on the U.S. government to…
Syria: Five Years of Suffering Must End
Mar 14, 2016 For Immediate Release March 14, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 15 marks the 5th anniversary of the peaceful protests that set the stage for the Syrian conflict.  This conflict has spawned a…
USCIRF Welcomes Genocide Determination; Urges Focus as well on al-Assad Regime
Mar 18, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MArch 18, 2016   Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the State Department’s decision proclaiming that groups including Yazidis,…
USCIRF Welcomes CPC Designations: Urges Additional Designations and Actions
Apr 20, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes Secretary of State John Kerry’s re-designation on April 15, 2016 of Burma,…
From Sinjar to Mosul
Nov 10, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WASHINGTON, D.C. – As coalition forces begin the liberation of Mosul, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) notes that November 13 is the one-year…
SYRIA: Six Years of War
Mar 15, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 15, 2017   WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 15 marks the 6th anniversary of the start of the Syrian conflict. Since the conflict began, an estimated 400,000 people have been killed;…
KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ: New USCIRF Report on Religious Minorities in the KRI
May 30, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 1, 2017     KURDISTAN REGION OF IRAQ: New USCIRF Report on Religious Minorities in the KRI USCIRF recognizes the KRI’s religious freedoms as “comparatively robust” as…
USCIRF Commends House Passage of Genocide Accountability Act, Urges Senate Action
Jun 9, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   USCIRF Commends House Passage of Genocide Accountability Act Urges Senate Action USCIRF declares that “the perpetrators of genocide must be held to account”   WASHINGTON, D.C. –…
H.R. 390: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes Genocide Bill
Oct 5, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 5, 2017   H.R. 390: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes Genocide Bill USCIRF Chairman Mark calls committee action “a key step toward helping victims of ISIS genocide”  …
USCIRF Applauds Passage of H.R. 390 by Congress
Nov 29, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 29, 2018   USCIRF Applauds Passage of H.R. 390 by Congress    WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today applauded…
USCIRF Welcomes President Trump Signing the Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act
Dec 11, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2018   USCIRF Welcomes President Trump Signing the Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act    WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on…
USCIRF Commissioners Travel to Iraq to Support Justice for Yazidi Genocide Survivors
Aug 2, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 2, 2019 USCIRF Commissioners Travel to Iraq to Support Justice for Yazidi Genocide Survivors WASHINGTON, DC – Ahead of tomorrow’s fifth anniversary of the Yazidi genocide, United…
USCIRF Statement on Turkish Offensive in Northeast Syria
Oct 9, 2019 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…
USCIRF Condemns Turkish Air Strikes on Sinjar
Nov 7, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 7, 2019     USCIRF Condemns Turkish Air Strikes on Sinjar   WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns recent Turkish air…
USCIRF Releases New Reports on Religious Freedom Conditions in Bahrain and Iraq
Feb 13, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  February 13, 2020 USCIRF Releases New Reports on Religious Freedom Conditions in Bahrain and Iraq Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (…
USCIRF Condemns Turkish Military Operations in Northern Iraq
Jun 19, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 19, 2020 USCIRF Condemns Turkish Military Operations in Northern Iraq Calls on Turkish President to Cease Air Strikes and Violence Targeting Civilian Areas Washington, DC – The U.S.…
USCIRF Releases Groundbreaking Report on the Enforcement of Blasphemy Laws Globally
Dec 9, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: USCIRF Releases Groundbreaking Report on the Enforcement of Blasphemy Laws Globally WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released a…
USCIRF Commemorates Fifth Anniversary of ISIS Genocide Recognition
Mar 17, 2021 USCIRF Commemorates Fifth Anniversary of ISIS Genocide Recognition Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today joins religious communities in Iraq and Syria—…
USCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy
Apr 21, 2021 USCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy No Longer Recommends Three Countries for Special Watch List Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom…
USCIRF Praises Additional Humanitarian Assistance to Iraqis Displaced by ISIS
Jul 28, 2021 USCIRF Praises Additional Humanitarian Assistance to Iraqis Displaced by ISIS Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) applauded the United States Department of State…
USCIRF Commemorates the Seventh Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide
Aug 2, 2021 USCIRF Commemorates the Seventh Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today commemorated the Yazidi Genocide and joined…
USCIRF Commends Targeted Sanctions Against Religious Freedom Violators in Syria
Aug 4, 2021 USCIRF Commends Targeted Sanctions Against Religious Freedom Violators in Syria Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) applauded the U.S. government’s targeted…
USCIRF Releases Factsheet Reiterating its Recommendations for State Department CPC and SWL Designations
Nov 5, 2021 USCIRF Releases Factsheet Reiterating its Recommendations for State Department CPC and SWL Designations Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the…
USCIRF Releases New Report Highlighting Religious Freedom in Iraq
Mar 8, 2022 USCIRF Releases New Report Highlighting Religious Freedom in Iraq Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: Iraq Country…
USCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy
Apr 25, 2022 USCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy  Recommends Afghanistan as Country of Particular Concern Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious…
USCIRF Welcomes the U.S. Government’s Issuance of a General License Including Northeast Syria
May 13, 2022 USCIRF Welcomes the U.S. Government’s Issuance of a General License Including Northeast Syria Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the United…
USCIRF Commemorates the Eighth Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide
Aug 3, 2022 USCIRF Commemorates the Eighth Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today joined communities around the world in…
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Under Syrian Rebel Group HTS
Nov 25, 2022 USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Under Syrian Rebel Group HTS   Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: Religious Freedom…
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom amid Iraq’s Political Crisis
Jan 3, 2023 USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom amid Iraq’s Political Crisis Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: Religious Freedom amid Iraq’…
USCIRF Releases 2023 Annual Report Highlighting Worsening Religious Freedom Conditions Around the World
May 1, 2023 USCIRF Releases 2023 Annual Report Highlighting Worsening Religious Freedom Conditions Around the World Includes new recommendations of Cuba and Nicaragua as Countries of Particular Concern and Sri Lanka for the Special Watch List Washington,…
USCIRF Welcomes the Release of State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report
May 15, 2023 USCIRF Welcomes the Release of State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends the State Department…
USCIRF Commemorates the Ninth Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide
Aug 3, 2023 USCIRF Commemorates the Ninth Anniversary of the Yazidi Genocide Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) this week joined communities around the world in commemorating the ninth…
USCIRF Releases Updated Blasphemy Factsheet and Blasphemy Law Compendium
Sep 14, 2023 USCIRF Releases Updated Blasphemy Factsheet and Blasphemy Law Compendium Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released two new reports: Legislation Factsheet on Blasphemy – This…
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom in Iraq
Sep 18, 2023 USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom in Iraq Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)  released the following new report on religious freedom conditions in Iraq: Iraq Country…
USCIRF Releases Report on National Level Anti-Conversion Laws around the World
Nov 28, 2023 USCIRF Releases Report on National Level Anti-Conversion Laws around the World Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: Compendium of National Anti-…
USCIRF Commemorates 75th Anniversary of UN Genocide Convention, Seeks Justice for Genocide Victims
Dec 7, 2023 USCIRF Commemorates 75th Anniversary of UN Genocide Convention, Seeks Justice for Genocide Victims Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) observes the International Day of Commemoration and…
USCIRF Calls for Congressional Hearing after State Department Fails to Designate Nigeria and India as Countries of Particular Concern
Jan 4, 2024 USCIRF Calls for Congressional Hearing after State Department Fails to Designate Nigeria and India as Countries of Particular Concern Azerbaijan Added to State Department’s Special Watch List Washington, DC – The United States Commission on…
USCIRF Calls for U.S. Government to Support Iraq’s Religious Communities on Anniversary of Genocide Determination
Mar 18, 2024 USCIRF Calls for U.S. Government to Support Iraq’s Religious Communities on Anniversary of Genocide Determination Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) solemnly marks the eighth…
USCIRF Releases 2024 Annual Report with New Recommendations for U.S. Policy
May 1, 2024 USCIRF Releases 2024 Annual Report with New Recommendations for U.S. Policy Highlights State of Religious Freedom Abroad after 25 Years of IRFA Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today…
USCIRF Solemnly Commemorates the Tenth Anniversary of ISIS’s Genocide Against Iraqi and Syrian Religious Minorities
Aug 2, 2024 USCIRF Solemnly Commemorates the Tenth Anniversary of ISIS’s Genocide Against Iraqi and Syrian Religious Minorities Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) this week commemorates the…
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom Challenges in Iraq 10 Years After ISIS’s Genocide
Sep 30, 2024 USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Challenges in Iraq 10 Years After ISIS’s Genocide Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following new report: Religious Freedom…
USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual Report
Mar 25, 2025 USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual ReportWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released its 2025 Annual Report. The report documents religious freedom conditions in 2024 and recommends policy…
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom and U.S. Policy in Post-Assad Syria
Jul 1, 2025 USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom and U.S. Policy in Post-Assad SyriaWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following report: Religious Freedom and U.S. Policy…
USCIRF Condemns Violence against Syria’s Druze Community
Jul 18, 2025 USCIRF Condemns Violence against Syria’s Druze Community  Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns this week’s outbreak of violence against Syria’s Druze community…
Promoting Religious Freedom is a Vital Atrocity Prevention Tool
Sep 9, 2025 Promoting Religious Freedom is a Vital Atrocity Prevention ToolWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on the link between atrocity prevention and international religious…
Congress Takes Encouraging, Bipartisan Steps on International Religious Freedom
Sep 25, 2025 Congress Takes Encouraging, Bipartisan Steps on International Religious Freedom Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the introduction of H.Res 738. This resolution demonstrates…
Iraqis Face Ongoing Sectarianism, Genocide-Related Religious Freedom Challenges
Dec 12, 2025   Iraqis Face Ongoing Sectarianism, Genocide-Related Religious Freedom Challenges Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report: Iraq Country Update…
Religious Freedom and Rule of Law in Syria
May 14, 2026   Religious Freedom and Rule of Law in SyriaWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report: Syria Country Update – This report highlights how the …