US Commission on International Religious Freedom

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.

This perception in Latin America and elsewhere is very troubling and should worry American conservative Christians who care about international religious freedom.

Despite the many challenges Sudan faces, its government’s defense of religious freedom gives reason for optimism that it is on the path to a more prosperous and more peaceful future.

On December 7, 2020, the US House of Representatives by a vote of 386-3 passed House Resolution 512, which calls for the worldwide repeal of blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws.

The story of Kurdish Christians and all other religious minorities in the Middle East is one of great suffering, but it is also a story of survival and great resilience. Fortunately, there is time to save northeast Syria as a refuge for these communities, but only if the international community offers immediate support.

The bold and brave witness of untold numbers of new Christians in Iran is beginning to illuminate the Middle East and beyond. Their light shines brightly in the shadows of today’s increasingly troubled world.

As COVID-19 spreads globally, religious minorities are now more exposed and vulnerable.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2020 Annual Report and recommended the US government include Turkey on the State Department’s “Special Watch List” for “engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.”

The United States and the international community could make a difference in the future of Iraq by informing the incoming government that there will be no investment or access to capital markets until these militias, and Iranian influence, have been eliminated.