Contact: William Murray, Religious Freedom Coalition, 202-742-8990

MEDIA ADVISORY, Dec. 17 /Christian Newswire/ -- Former South Carolina Governor David Beasley, who has become a leader in the movement to assist persecuted Iraqi Christians, approved of the USCIRF designation Tuesday of Iraq as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC).

This CPC designation from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is a declaration that the Iraqi government is not protecting the religious freedom of Iraq's religious minorities.

"I applaud the USCIRF today for granting long overdue CPC status for Iraq. For several years since the invasion of Iraq by the United States, Christians have been ruthlessly and horribly persecuted, tortured and executed by Jihadists and Kurdish militants. It is shocking that the White house continues to deny this atrocity. Hopefully, the necessary attention and action will be forthcoming with this USCRIF designation of CPC status to bring an end to the persecution before this ancient Christian population is completely exterminated."

During a USCIRF press conference Congressman Frank Wolf, a Republican, said that the policy of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice toward religious minorities in Iraq has been a disaster and that he believed Senator Hillary Clinton would do a better job as Secretary of State. William J. Murray of the Religious Freedom Coalition and Father Keith Roderick of Christian Solidarity International agreed with Congressman Wolf's description of Secretary Rice's policy toward Iraq's religious minorities.

LINKS:
www.christianrefugees.com
www.rfcnet.org

Media contact:
William Murray, Religious Freedom Coalition, Washington, DC
202.742.8990