In Defense of Christians (IDC)

Around 350,000 people have been killed due to violence in northern Nigeria as of the end of 2020, according to new UN estimates. Many of those killed were Christians.

During an In Defense of Christians event, a diverse panel discussed Turkey’s current political, cultural, and religious environment, as well as potential policy options for the country to become more democratic and religiously rich.

It’s now up to the Biden administration to decide if it will work with US allies to save the Middle East’s “last bastion of Christianity” or let it fall into the hands of Iran, Turkey, Russia, and China.

While Sisi has made some improvements, stating that Egypt has achieved some advanced level of religious freedom or pluralism is fantastical and premature.

As the United States continues its political transition, many in the human rights advocacy community anxiously await tangible signs, beyond rhetoric, that the cause of international religious freedom will remain a policy priority for the Biden administration.

For those of us who have followed the struggle of Egypt’s Coptic Christians, particularly during the presidency of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi, there’s been both good news and bad news.

President-elect Joe Biden must construct a foreign policy agenda that prioritizes confronting Turkey, on its belligerent international conduct, and stabilizing the spiraling economic, political, and security situation in Lebanon.

Syriac support for Armenia is no recent phenomenon, as they are both enduring symbols of Christianity’s native presence in the Middle East. Unfortunately, Turkey targets both groups today.

In their final presidential debate, Donald Trump and Joe Biden should address US-Turkey relations and Erdoğan’s increasingly aggressive posture.