12/13/11 - Statement submitted for the Congressional Record on H. Res. 306 - I applaud Congressman Royce for introducing H.Res. 306, Urging the Republic of Turkey to Safeguard it?s Christian Heritage and to Return Confiscated Church Properties, and thank him for his leadership in ensuring this important legislation is considered by the full House of Representatives. As a cosponsor of this resolution I strongly support its passage and encourage my fellow members to join me in voting in favor of this bill.

While Turkey considers itself a secular democracy, in reality this is simply not the case. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has classified Turkey one of the world?s top violators of religious freedom. Out of a population of roughly 76.8 million people, the country?s religious make-up is 99% Muslim (mainly Sunni) and 1% Christian, Bahai, and Jewish.

Regulations imposed upon minority religious groups, specifically Christians who make up less than 1% of the nation?s population, serve to deny religious equality within Turkey. For example, national identification cards have a line item that displays one?s religion, and while people are allowed to omit their religion on their I.D. card, it clearly marks individuals as non-Muslim.

Despite Turkey?s obligations under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, the government has not recognized minority religious communities, such as the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church, as independent entities with full legal status. The Turkish government?s policies go so far as to deny non-Muslim communities the rights to train religious clergy, offer religious education, and own and maintain places of worship, leading to the decline, and in some cases the virtual disappearance, of these important religious and historical communities.

Through its expropriation of church properties, continued harassment of worshippers, and refusal to grant full legal status under Turkish law to some Christian groups, the Republic of Turkey has failed to fulfill its obligation as a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which requires ?freedom of thought, conscience, and religion.?

This resolution ?Urging the Republic of Turkey to Safeguard its Christian Heritage and to Return Confiscated Church Properties? calls upon the government of Turkey to end religious discrimination, cease all restrictions on gatherings for religious prayer and education, and return stolen church property. On behalf of my Greek, Cypriot and Armenian American constituents in New York?s 13th Congressional district I strongly support the passage of this important resolution and encourage my colleagues to stand against religious persecution throughout the world.

12-06-11 - Khayal Sharif-zadeh from Azerbaijan America Alliance Corporation contacted Representative Grimm on behalf of the government of Azerbaijan regarding Alliance Inaugural Event