1Condemning the global persecution of Christians and calling on
2world leaders to implement policies that protect the
3religious liberty of Christians and all other faiths within
4their borders.

5WHEREAS, Persecution comes in many forms including
6discrimination, loss of basic fundamental rights, violence,
7torture and execution; and

8WHEREAS, Christians are currently being persecuted in over 50
9countries for their faith; and

10WHEREAS, One-hundred million Christians were persecuted in
112012 alone; and

12WHEREAS, The United States Commission on International
13Religious Freedom finds systematic persecution of religious
14minorities, which includes many Christians, to be a global
15problem that is not contained in one specific region of the
16world; and

17WHEREAS, In Belarus, government permitting and regulation of

1religious communities has restricted the ability of Christians
2to worship freely; and

3WHEREAS, In Cuba, pastors have been beaten and detained for
4public preaching; and

5WHEREAS, In China, more than 1,000 Christians were detained
6in 2012 for their religious convictions; and

7WHEREAS, In North Korea, approximately 6,000 Christians are
8being held in just one of the country's many labor camps and are
9victims of constant abuse; and

10WHEREAS, In Burma, Christians are subject to extrajudicial
11killings, sexual violence and forced labor; and

12WHEREAS, In Egypt, Christian-owned homes, businesses and
13churches have been subject to violence and vandalism, causing
14Christian families to abandon their homes; and

15WHEREAS, In Iran, Christian converts face severe
16discrimination, arbitrary arrests, executions and extrajudicial
17killings; and

18WHEREAS, In Sudan, paramilitary soldiers target Christians
19for executions and arrests; therefore be it

20RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives condemn the
21global persecution of Christians and call on world leaders to
22implement policies that protect the religious liberty of
23Christians and all other faiths within their borders.