Bill Would Create Special Envoy for Religious Minorities in Near East and South Central Asia

Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) announced this week that he, along with 7 co-sponsors, has introduced H.R. 440, a bipartisan bill to provide for the establishment of the Special State Department Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia. In introducing the bill, Wolf emphasized recent attacks on and arrests of Christians in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Egypt. He also pointed out that other religious minorities in the region-- such as the Ahmadis, Baha’is, Zoroastrians and Jews-- are under pressure as well. He added:

In the wake of these devastating attacks on religious freedom, which in some cases are so severe that they literally threaten to wipe these ancient indigenous communities from the lands they've inhabited for centuries, it is clear that more must be done. Sadly, against the backdrop of these attacks, the post of Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom at the State Department has been vacant for two years.