Protecting Religious Minorities in Syria & Iraq

Date:

Wed, 04/13/2016 - 3:00 PM

Location:

Russell Senate Office Building, Room 485

Announcement

Co-hosted by the Senate Human Rights Caucus

Please join the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission and the Senate Human Rights Caucus for a joint briefing on protecting religious minorities in Iraq and Syria.

Many actors involved in the armed conflict in Iraq and Syria continue to commit systematic human rights violations in the region, up to and including war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. ISIS in particular bears responsibility for committing gross human rights violations throughout Iraq and Syria targeting women, moderate Sunni Muslims, Shi’a Muslims, Yazidis, and Christians. The U.S. government has an important role to play in supporting efforts to protect religious minorities in Iraq, Syria, and across the Middle East. Speakers will discuss the atrocities committed against religious minorities in Syria and Iraq and policy options that would help protect religious minorities and prevent future violations.

Hosted by:

Chris Coons
U.S. Senator
Co-Chair, SHRC

Mark Kirk
U.S. Senator
Co-Chair, SHRC

James P. McGovern
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC

Joseph R. Pitts
Member of Congress
Co-Chair, TLHRC

Witnesses

Panelists

Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, Commissioner, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Knox Thames, Special Advisor for Religious Minorities in the Near East and South/Central Asia, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, State Department
Cameron Hudson, Director, Simon-Skjodt Center for the Prevention of Genocide, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

Moderator

William Inboden, Associate Scholar, Religious Freedom Project, Georgetown Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs

Accessibility

The Commission seeks to make its events, meetings and hearings accessible to persons with disabilities.

If you are in need of special accommodations, please call (202) 225-3599 at least four business days in advance.

Questions with regard to special accommodations in general (including availability of Commission materials in alternative formats and assistive listening devices, sign language interpretation, etc.) may be directed to the Commission.