IDC offers key recommendations to the U.S. Government to adequately address the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East
Washington D.C.- Tomorrow, the U.S. Department of State will host an inaugural Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, led by Secretary of State Michael Pompeo. In Defense of Christians (IDC), the nation’s leading advocacy organization for Christians and religious minorities in the Middle East, believes strongly that the U.S. Government should prioritize religious liberty in its diplomatic outreach to Middle Eastern governments.
Specifically, IDC calls upon the United States to raise human rights violations and the rights of religious minorities with Middle Eastern government representatives attending the ministerial.
“We have been working tirelessly to protect and support Christians and other religious minorities in the Middle East, working closely with the U.S. House of Representative, the White House and the State Department,” said IDC Executive Director Philippe Nassif. “We have had success with key pieces of legislation and our partnerships across the U.S. government, but the fight is far from over.”
The United States is the global leader in promoting human rights and holding accountable those nations that fail to uphold basic human rights and principles. The need for this leadership is currently critical in the Middle East, as numerous Christian and other minority communities look to rebuild following ISIS’s defeat, in particular.
“IDC calls on the U.S. administration and State Department to engage foreign governments concerning human rights violations and religious freedom based on citizenship status, gender, race, ethnicity, and faith,” Nassif added. “Supporting religious minority communities globally matters – these are communities that could face extinction without help from the United States and the pressure the U.S. government can bring to bear on its foreign counterparts. As always, we offer our extended knowledge of this issue and continuous support to the U.S. Government on these matters.”