Washington D.C., Oct 24, 2019 / 10:02 am
The protection of holy sites and houses of worship was the subject of a recent hearing held by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
"Houses of worship and other religious sites should be sanctuaries where worshippers feel safe to practice their faith," said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and USCIRF chair. "Under international law, the ability of religious communities to establish and maintain houses of worship is an essential element of the freedom of religion or belief."
However, he warned, "violent attacks on houses of worship are increasingly occurring globally, turning these sacred and peaceful spaces into unimaginable sites of bloodshed."
USCIRF, an independent, bipartisan U.S. government commission, has worked since 1998 to monitor religious freedom abroad and make recommendations to Congress, the president and the Secretary of State about policies to advance religious freedom.