Last month, the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly), the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, and the Knights of Vartan Ani Lodge, joined Members of the Armenian Caucus and Hellenic Caucus on Capitol Hill for the first annual St. Andrew's Human Rights and Religious Freedom reception. Organized by Hellenic and Armenian Caucus member Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD), the reception was hosted by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Chris Smith (R-NJ) of the Helsinki Commission, Representatives Frank Wolf (R-VA) and James P. McGovern (D-MA) of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, Representatives Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Heath Shuler (D-NC) of the International Religious Freedom Caucus, and Representatives Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) and Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) of the Hellenic Caucus.

The State Department's Ambassador-at-Large for Religious Freedom, Suzan Johnson Cook, Senator Ben Cardin, Co-Chair of the Helsinki Commission, Senator Robert Menendez, and sixteen Representatives, many who sit on both the Armenian Caucus and Hellenic Caucus, were on hand illustrating the growing support among Members of Congress in protecting religious freedom at home and abroad. In fact, just this week, the House of Representatives unanimously adopted H. Res. 306. Introduced by Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Ed Royce (R-CA), H. Res. 306 urges the Republic of Turkey to safeguard its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties. Rep. Sarbanes joined his Armenian Caucus colleagues in speaking in support of H. Res. 306 on the House floor.

"The Armenian Assembly and the greater Armenian-American community know first-hand the effect religious discrimination and persecution have on people," stated Assembly Grassroots Director Taniel Koushakjian. "For far too long the Turkish government has pursued a policy that provokes, discriminates and fails to protect religious minorities against extremists and ultranationalists, as evidenced by the 2006 murder of Father Santoro, the 2007 murder of Hrant Dink, the 2010 murder of Roman Catholic Bishop Padovese and the decades-long attempt to expunge the Ecumenical Patriarchate from Turkey," stated Koushakjian.

"I was pleased to see so many Members of Congress attend and delighted to join the Armenian-American community in support of our Christian and Hellenic brothers," stated Rev. Fr. Hovsep Karapetian from St. Mary Armenian Church in Washington, DC who was present at the event.