USCIRF Applauds Passage of H.R. 390 by Congress

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 the U.S. Congress’s unanimous vote to approve H.R. 390, the Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act, which was introduced in 2017 by Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA). This bill promotes accountability for crimes committed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and provides for the urgent humanitarian and stabilization needs of persecuted religious and ethnic communities. Since June 2017, USCIRF has recommended that the Senate pass H.R. 390.

“I enthusiastically commend the U.S. Congress for taking this important step in support of those communities who have been the targets of genocide in Iraq and Syria,” said USCIRF Chair Tenzin Dorjee. “When I visited Iraq with Vice Chair Kristina Arriaga in March, we witnessed firsthand the immense suffering of Yazidis, Christians, and other religious minorities and listened to their stories of egregious violations of their fundamental rights. These communities desperately need all the help they can get to reconstruct their lives. This bill supports them and also ensures that those responsible for these horrible crimes face some measure of justice.”

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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 Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.