U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing
Safeguarding Religious Freedom in Northeast Syria
Wednesday, June 10, 2020
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Virtual Hearing
Register Here
Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a virtual hearing about the opportunities and challenges related to religious freedom for those living in Northeast Syria.
Northeast Syria has been a region with devastating conflict over the past decade. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) violently targeted religious and ethnic minorities between 2014 and 2019 from all walks of life. At the same time, the Assad regime has maintained its violent campaign since 2011 to repress all forms of both armed and peaceful opposition, with disregard for the massive human suffering it has caused. As coalition forces joined local efforts to defeat ISIS and a measure of security slowly returned to the northeast, constituents from the area launched an initiative to introduce local governance, autonomy from the Assad regime, diverse representation, and individual freedoms. That initiative evolved into what is now known as the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES).
In October 2019, the U.S. government announced a significant drawdown of its military presence in northeast Syria and signaled tacit approval for Turkey to cross the border. That incursion and subsequent establishment of an occupation zone atop AANES-governed territory has been catastrophic for local communities. It has led to the displacement of around 100,000 civilians and the persistent shelling of towns and villages, including some that are traditionally home to Muslim Kurds and Arabs as well as Christian and Yazidi populations.
Witnesses will give analysis about religious freedom conditions in the AANES, Turkey’s ongoing actions in the region, the threat of ISIS, and the impact of U.S. policy.
Opening Remarks
- Tony Perkins, Chair, USCIRF
- Gayle Manchin, Vice Chair, USCIRF
Panel
- Amy Austin Holmes, Fellow, Woodrow Wilson Center, and Visiting Scholar at Harvard University
- Sara Kayyali, Syria Researcher, Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch
- Hassan Hassan, Program Director, Non-State Actors and Geopolitics, Center for Global Policy
- Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar, American Enterprise Institute
Witnesses’ Bios
This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. Members of the media should register online and can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for any questions. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact Jamie Staley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 202-279-0274.
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