54 Senators Send Bipartisan Letter to Biden Criticizing Human Rights in Turkey
02/10/2021 United States (International Christian Concern) – Yesterday, a bipartisan coalition of 54 Senators addressed a letter to President Joe Biden, expressing their concern over a deteriorating human rights record in Turkey. The letter cited Turkey’s recent trends towards authoritarianism, in particular the jailing of journalists that oppose the government and its military involvement in Syria and Armenia.
The United States has increasingly condemned Turkey in recent years under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the Senate letter, since the failed coup against him in 2016, Erdogan has been cracked down on domestic opposition, by systematically
02/04/2021
United States (International Christian Concern) – National leaders gathered in Washington, D.C. this morning for the annual National Prayer Breakfast, taking a moment to set aside partisanship and join together in prayer for the country. President Biden called for people to turn to faith in these times of division and delivered strong words for unity, a theme that he has made central in his presidency. The prayer breakfast did not fall short in bringing people together. Focused on humility and prayer, the breakfast is a tradition that celebrates one of the greatest foundational values of the United States – faith and freedom of religion.
U.S. Congressman Sends Letter to Ambassador in Azerbaijan Regarding Artsakh Comments
02/04/2021 United States (International Christian Concern) – Yesterday, U.S. Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA) sent a letter to the American ambassador stationed in Azerbaijan, Earle Litzenberger, regarding a report that the ambassador had congratulated Azerbaijan for “ensuring [its] territorial integrity” in a recent meeting with Azerbaijan’s Economy Minister. Although the U.S. embassy has not officially confirmed nor denied the validity of the statement released by the Azerbaijani Ministry of Economics, such a comment from a U.S. official is quite concerning to Armenia, who fell victim to Azerbaijani aggression in the recent war over Nagorno-Karabakh (
United Nations Moves to Protect Religious Sites
01/27/2021 United States (International Christian Concern) – The United Nations General Assembly approved a resolution that condemns the damage and destruction of religious sites. The resolution also asks the Secretary General of the United Nations to convene a global conference that will garner public support for the protection of the many religious sites around the world.
The resolution is a step in the right direction for the many persecuted Christian communities around the world. One the greatest targets of persecution around the world is the destruction of Christian church buildings and other sites that hold high regard for many Christians. Much of the violence faced by Christian communities is often targeted at church buildings in the local communities. Churches have been destroyed as a result of violence by extremist factions of many religions across the world.
Secretary of State Nominee Questioned on Turkey and Nagorno-Karabakh
01/20/2021 United States (International Christian Concern) – This week, the U.S. Senate is holding confirmation hearings for President Joe Biden’s cabinet nominees, including his nominee for Secretary of State, Antony Blinken. During Blinken’s hearing, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) specifically questioned him regarding the U.S.-Turkey alliance amidst Turkish domestic abuses of human rights and its aggressions in Nagorno-Karabakh (
Armenian: Artsakh).
The senator listed several human rights violations committed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government and concerning Turkish military aggressions in the Middle East. Senator Menendez asked Blinken if he was “clear-eyed” on the status of the Turkish alliance, to which Blinken said he was and that Turkey was an ally who has not been acting like an ally.