Monastery in Maaloula, Syria / Adobe Stock
The European Parliament adopted an Urgency Resolution July 10, condemning the growing wave of anti-Christian violence in Syria and calling for immediate steps to protect religious minorities.
The resolution comes after the June 22 suicide bombing of the Greek Orthodox Mar Elias Church in Damascus, which killed at least 25 people and wounded more than 60, CatholicVote reported. The Islamist terrorist group Saraya Ansar al Sunna claimed responsibility, according to the European Parliament.
In its resolution, the Parliament “[h]ighlights the vulnerability of Christian communities in Syria and the constant threats against worshippers, whose protection should be guaranteed by authorities.” It urges Syria’s transitional leaders, EU member states, and global anti-terror partners to intensify efforts to combat “Islamist terrorism” and “protect all Syrians.”
The resolution also demands accountability for the Mar Elias Church attack and calls on the Syrian government to restore the church.
Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International, a legal advocacy group focused on global religious liberty, welcomed the resolution as a move toward “international momentum to protect Christians and other religious minorities in Syria.”
“The European Parliament is right to demand accountability,” ADF International’s Director of Global Religious Freedom Kelsey Zorzi said in a July 10 press release, “not only for the Mar Elias attack, but for the broader pattern of religious persecution in Syria, and to condition future support on the Syrian government’s compliance with human rights obligations.”
The action comes amid a troubling rise in attacks on Christian communities and other religious minorities during Syria’s recent political transition. Earlier this year, Christian patriarchs in the region issued a joint statement warning of a “dangerous escalation” of brutal attacks.
ADF International also urged the European Commission to reappoint a Special Envoy for the promotion of religious freedom outside the EU.
“This would be an important step in showing much-needed, real commitment to protecting this fundamental right worldwide,” Adina Portaru, Senior Counsel for ADF International in Brussels, said.
