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Confronting Religious Persecution at the IRF Summit

Feb. 10Stories That Demand Action:

Last week I spoke on a panel at the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Summit in Washington, D.C.—a global gathering that brings together advocates, policymakers, and legal experts from around the world who are on the front lines of defending religious freedom. The Summit provides a rare forum to share firsthand experiences, expose ongoing...More

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Save Christians From Murder in Congo

Save Christians From Murder in...

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has once again become the site of unspeakable violence , with Christian communities being targeted by terrorists and militant forces. On February 15, over 70 Christians – primarily women, children, and the elderly – were added to the list of victims when they were abducted...More

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Christians Worldwide

This is the latest installment in a year-end series looking back at some of the numerous victories by the ACLJ in 2018.

For several years, the ACLJ has continuously urged international leaders to recognize the unthinkable atrocities committed by ISIS in Iraq and Syria for what they are – genocide.

While ISIS is on the run, it has left a massive humanitarian crisis in the wake of its genocidal atrocities.

In order to provide for the lasting resettlement of Christians in Iraq and Syria, it is imperative to not only hold ISIS accountable but also provide aid, security, and assistance so that those who were forced to flee can now return home.

To that end, we have sent out numerous legal letters to world leaders detailing the evidence and outlining the legal case for genocide and the need to protect and aid the victims under the Genocide Convention.

In the past, we have explained how our ongoing legal advocacy continues to have an impact, including the U.N.’s appointment of a new taskforce to investigate evidence of genocide. This year, the ACLJ received two critical responses from key world leaders in our global campaign to protect Christians facing genocide.

First, we received a response from the European Union Special Representative for Human Rights, Stavros Lambrinidis. The EU’s response stated: “we fully share your concerns for the plight of Christians . . .” and that they are working with the International Commission for Missing Persons (ICMP) on “investigations into mass and hidden graves” – a particularly important action based on facts we shared in our letter and legal memorandum detailing the existence of these mass graves.

The letter clarified that the EU stands “ready to provide support.”. This will allow us to follow up with other world leaders, Iraqi officials, and the U.N. to ensure that this vital resource is fully utilized to protect and provide aid for Christians.

We also received a full response from Britain’s Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa, the RT Hon. Alistair Burt MP who informed us he was directed to reply to us by the British Prime Minister’s Office.

This response echoed the need to bring the perpetrators of genocide to justice as well as provide resources for the lasting resettlement of refugees.

“Alongside our continued commitment to bring [ISIS] to justice, we are using our aid budget to alleviate the immediate humanitarian suffering of the most vulnerable people in the region, including Christians, Yezidis and other minorities, as well as the majority Muslim population in Iraq and Syria.”

The letter detailed how the UK was committing more than “£90 million in Conflict, Stability and Security Fund funding to Iraq, including over £25 million helping to make helping to make areas that have been affected by conflict safe . . . so that civilians can return to their homes.”

These are huge victories for the devastated Christians victims of ISIS. The international community is beginning to act to provide much needed resources and assistance for the victims of genocide. And these actions build on victories we’ve previously secured here in the U.S., ensuring that our taxpayer aid reaches the Christians and other religious minorities who need it most.

We must continue to advocate on behalf of Christian victims in the new year to ensure they receive the assistance needed to be able to safely return home.

To help the ACLJ continue to have the resources we need to make these victories possible and continue fighting for Christians facing genocide, please consider making a Tax-Deductible donation to the ACLJ through our year-end Matching Challenge. Your gift will be DOUBLED dollar-for-dollar through the end of the year.

You can read more in the ACLJ’s 2018 Victories series here.

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Signatures

Shaheryar Gill  //

Apr 08, 2025

My colleagues from the ACLJ, along with our European affiliate, the European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) , and I recently spent a week at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, advocating for...

Thibault van den Bossche  //

Mar 18, 2025

After the massacre of over 1,400 civilians in Syria’s coastal region, according to the latest count by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights , the fragile illusion of post-Assad stability has been shattered.

Olivia Summers  //

Feb 28, 2025

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has once again become the site of unspeakable violence , with Christian communities being targeted by terrorists and militant forces. On February 15, over 70...