Coptic Solidarity hosted its 13th Annual Conference, titled Uprooted & Endangered: Defending the Religious Minorities of the Middle East in Washington, D.C., June 11-12.
This conferenced marked the 15th anniversary for the organization (as no conferences were held during the Covid years.)
Advocacy Day
On June 11, teams of advocates from partner organizations and Coptic Solidarity held numerous meetings with government officials and legislative offices to highlight the plight of each minority group. Advocates also shared joint challenges and concrete policy recommendations.
Participation in these meetings was much greater than anticipated and it was an excellent opportunity to engage new supporters in our work while working with more seasoned advocates. This training and involvement of more supporters is vital to achieving our mission!
Congressional Briefing in Longworth House Office Building 1539
Gendered Persecution: Targets of Forced Conversion
Moderator: Karmella Borashan – Director at Susek Evangelistic Association; Representative of Assyrian International Council
- Stephen Schneck, Ph.D – Commissioner, US Commission on International Religious Freedom
- US Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA)
- US Representative Brad Sherman (D-CA)
- Jamileh Naso – Co-founder & Executive Director, Canadian Yazidi Association
- Joseph Janssen – Advocacy Officer with Jubilee Campaign Netherlands
- Sonja Dahlmans – Author of Coptic Solidarity’s latest report, Hidden Crimes Public Deception: The Epidemic of Abductions and Forced Disappearance of Coptic Women and Girls.
Following the legislative meetings, all the advocacy teams, expert speakers, and guests, met together for a Congressional briefing, hosted by Coptic Solidarity, Jubilee Campaign, Canadian Yazidi Association, and the Assyrian International Council from 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM in the Longworth House Office Building 1539.The briefing, Gendered Persecution: Targets of Forced Conversion was opened by USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck, who stated that the US government must continue to combat restrictions on religious freedom abroad, especially in countries that justify sexually and gender-based violence on religious grounds, and stressed that women should be able to interpret publicly and express or live out their religious beliefs in all aspects of their lives, including marriage and divorce, bodily autonomy, speech, education, and dress.
US Rep. Brad Sherman then shared that “Just yesterday, the Ambassador of Egypt was in my office. I had the opportunity to discuss with him how we need to focus on the treatment of Coptic Christians in Egypt. I talked to him about St. Catherine’s Monestary, the world’s oldest inhabited Chrisitan Monastery, founded in 560 AD…I talked to him about not only the right for the monastery to be there but the right to acknowledge that they owe the land. Obviously, the current government is much better than the Muslim brotherhood than Mohamed Morsi, but that is not the standard by which the Egyptian government should be judged. We need to see a more and quicker approval of applications to build and renovate Churches. We also need to focus on stories like Saad Thabet who was mistreated in her own village.”
Coptic Solidarity was able to bring a Coptic survivor, Christeen Ghobrial, to testify about her personal experience of sexual abuse and efforts to forcibly convert her which started at age 14. Her experience closely mirrors the findings of our new report down to the details of her fencing team mates staging a photo opportunity of her with a head-covering (which they put on her head under the guise of being cold outside) and this picture later turned up on a new ID card with a new Muslim name and identity that the abuser gave her. In retrospect, she can see how her abuser had high-level access to information about her from the time he first raped her at age 14, through several moves to University and later to a career, and changing all contact information, he would still show up and continue threating her and her family. Christeen is now in the US seeking religious asylum. This was the first time to share her story publicly, and she did so with poise, under incredible pressure. Having a witness share about the crime of forcible conversion, accompanied by sexual abuse and often disappearance, was incredibly impactful, and gave a face to the suffering that other speakers shared.
Joseph Janssen of Jubilee Campaign and Voice for Justice discussed the recently released report focused on Pakistan, Conversion without Consent, and Sonja Dahlmans, author of Coptic Solidarity’s report Hidden Crimes Public Deception: The Epidemic of Abductions and Forced Disappearance of Coptic Women and Girls, discussed her findings. Jamileh Naso, Co-founder and Executive Director of the Canadian Yazidi Association shared that there are still about 2,500 missing Yezidi women who were abducted during the rule of ISIS. Despite the location of many of these women being known, there is a complete lack of political will to work for their return.
During the event, Coptic Solidarity Executive Committee member, Magdi Khalil, received a call with news, Mariam Madhat Ramzy Labib has been returned! We rejoice with Mariam and her family and know that public pressure from Coptic Solidarity and our work with Members of Congress is critical to assisting disappeared Coptic women.
Following the briefing, many supporters joined us for a brief rally in front of the US Capitol. We walked with signs, detailing the faces, names, and circumstances of disappeared Coptic and Pakistani girls. This event was a powerful reminder to the Egyptian and Pakistani governments that they need to end these crimes, return disappeared women, and hold perpetrators accountable.
Policy Day
Our annual Policy Day was held on June 12. Thanks to the sponsorship of US Rep. French Hill, a longtime champion of Coptic equality, Coptic Solidarity was able to host our event in the beautiful Cannon Caucus Room.
Congressman French Hill noted that “While Coptic Christians are the largest religious minority in the Middle East, they continue to endure discrimination, violence and systematic injustice in Egypt.” And that on June 1 he was encouraged to see President Trump honor Global Coptic Day. Moreover, Congressman French Hill passionately called into question Egypt’s mediocre progress on religious freedom of the Coptic community, and voiced that he will consistently remind Secretary Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump of the pressing Coptic issues.
Caroline Doss JD – President, Coptic Solidarity, gave her remarks:
- Introduction & Theme Overview
Caroline Doss, President of Coptic Solidarity, sets the stage for the 13th Annual Conference titled “Uprooted & Endangered: Defending Religious Minorities of the Middle East” - Urgency of Religious Freedom Advocacy
She emphasized the growing threats facing communities such as the Copts, Yazidis, and other religious minorities, underscoring the importance of collective advocacy at international forums. - Global and U.S. Legislative Engagement
Doss highlighted ongoing efforts to involve U.S. policymakers and global bodies to hold Middle Eastern governments accountable for discriminatory policies and human rights violations. - Call to Action
The speech encouraged attendees—including NGOs, advocacy groups, and policymakers—to collaborate strategically in defending vulnerable communities through awareness, legislation, and policy influence
Session: Indigenous Minorities of the Middle East
Moderator: Gary Lane – International News Director and Senior International Correspondent for CBN News
- Karmella Borashan – Director at Susek Evangelistic Association; Representative of Assyrian International Council
- Jamileh Naso – Co-founder & President, Canadian Yazidi Association
- Hilary Miller – Policy Analyst, US Commission on International Religious Freedom
Key Topics & Themes
- Panelists highlighted the shared struggles of indigenous faith communities—Assyrians, Yazidis, Jews, and others—facing systemic persecution across the Middle East.
- Discussions centered on urgent threats such as ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, religious discrimination, and the erasure of ancient cultures.
Advocacy & Outcomes
- The panel underscored the importance of coordinated advocacy, particularly through congressional engagement and international policy forums.
- Sessions elevated testimonies and policy proposals aimed at protecting historic and cultural rights of these communities
Former Congressman Frank. R. Wolf, spoke passionately about how religious leaders in America are failing to speak-out and act for persecuted Christians worldwide. He emphasized the need to remember those who are truly suffering, work in coalition together, and provided a list of recommendations to Coptic Solidarity and our partners for more effective advocacy.
Congressman Jim McGovern, (Co-chair, Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission) was prevented from joining the Congressional briefing on June 11 due to legislative duties, so we were encouraged to hear his strong statement of support for Copts on June 12. Reflecting on our latest report he said, “As I read the report I was struck by the image of Ilham, 16, who was abducted on her way to school and held for 5 days in 2022.Despite the ordeal that Ilham and her family endured, her abductors didn’t face any legal consequences. Tragically Ilham’s story is not unique. The most recent State Department report on International Religious Freedom recorded at least eight cases of alleged abduction and forced conversion of Coptic women and girls in Egypt. While Egyptian Security Forces helped return some of those women to their families, it is absolutely unacceptable that government allows any abductions to go unpunished because of the victim’s religion.”
Session: Foreign Influence in US Policy
Moderator: Lindsay Rodriguez – Director of Development & Advocacy
- Dan Auble – Senior Researcher, OpenSecrets
- Aram Hamparian – Executive Director, Armenian National Committee of America
- Mark Basta – Research Associate, Coptic Solidarity
Auble outlined how OpenSecrets tracks lobbying through FARA filings, mass communication archives, and campaign contributions. He noted stronger enforcement in recent years, but criticized AG Bondi’s rollback that caused a 30% drop in reporting. He highlighted the KRG’s $3M annual lobbying since 2016 as a prime example, linking foreign influence campaigns—Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia—to arms sales.
Hamparian emphasized the shared struggles of Armenians and Copts under foreign influence in Washington. He urged Copts to strengthen their “ethos” through electoral credibility, to view themselves as stakeholders in U.S. politics, and to act as “sunshine” forces for transparency. He closed by stressing organization and electoral power as essential to advancing the Coptic cause.
Basta detailed Coptic Solidarity’s report on Egypt’s lobbying since 2014: $18.8M paid to 13 firms for over 5,500 activities. Egypt’s goals are securing U.S. aid, boosting influence, and laundering its reputation, often using religious figures like Dr. Andrea Zaki to mislead officials on human rights. He concluded with five hallmarks of Egypt’s lobbying: episodic, multi-pronged, revolving door reliance, poor compliance, and use of Christian networks for reputation laundering.
Moderator: Nina Shea – Hudson Institute Senior Fellow & Director of its Center for Religious Freedom; former Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (1999-2012)
Speaker: David Schenker – Taube Senior Fellow & Director, Linda and Tony Rubin Program on Arab Politics at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
Speaker: Bassam Ishak – Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Representatives Speaker: Ashuriena Abraham – MENA Co-Chair for the First Freedom Foundation Global Youth Summit; Representative of Assyrian International Council
Speaker: Ryan Mauro – Investigative Researcher, Capital Research Center
This session illuminated the deepening crisis for Syrian Christians—exploring the complexity of their plight through expert testimony, policy analysis, and community voices. Hosted amid Coptic Solidarity’s broader efforts to advocate for religious minorities in the Middle East, it served both as a reality check and a call to action for international actors.
All speakers depicted a community on edge—a shrinking religious minority grappling with renewed threats, questioning whether Syria’s new power structure will shield them or leave them vulnerable. When viewed alongside recent regional violence and targeted intimidation, the consensus is over the urgent need for international attention and protective measures for Syria’s Christian population.
Key Takeaways
- Rising Persecution: The discussion underscored increasing threats to Syria’s ancient Christian communities, including violence, forced displacement, and an erosion of minority protections for Druze, Alawites, Christians, and other minorities.
- Diverse Perspectives: Differing views were presented on how the US should proceed with current Syrian leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa.
- Advocacy Agenda: The session highlighted the need for coordinated policy actions, including U.S. legislative measures and international diplomatic support, to protect vulnerable religious minorities.
- Contextual Focus: This session built on the broader conference themes—urging policymakers and advocates to safeguard the region’s multi-faith, multi-ethnic fabric against rising extremism and state neglect
Interviews with Sonja Dahlmans, Christeen Ghobrial & Joseph Janssen
- Sonja Dahlmans – author of Coptic Solidarity’s report, Hidden Crimes Public Deception: The Epidemic of Abductions and Forced Disappearance of Coptic Women and Girls.
- Christeen Ghobrial – Coptic survivor and witness
- Joseph Janssen– Advocacy Officer with Jubilee Campaign Netherlands
This interview focused on the distressing issue of abduction and forced religious conversion of Christian women in Egypt and Pakistan.
- Scope of the Problem: It highlights increasing incidents of young Christian and minority women being kidnapped, forcibly converted, and coerced into marriage and religious adherence.
- Case Studies: Specific cases are discussed—including minors who have either disappeared or resurfaced under duress, converted to Islam, and married their abductors. Families share harrowing experiences of being stonewalled by legal systems when attempting to rescue their daughters.
- Legal and Institutional Gaps: The panel critiques the failure of legal frameworks and application in both countries, underscoring that forced conversion often goes unpunished due to weak enforcement and systemic bias.
- International Response: It calls on international organizations and human rights bodies to step in, exert pressure, and demand justice and policy reforms to protect vulnerable minority communities.
- Recommendations: The speakers advocate for improved legal protections, stricter enforcement of existing laws, international monitoring, and grassroots awareness campaigns to protect women and girls at risk.
Congressman Michael Lawler, (Chair, Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee) This was Rep. Lawler’s first participation in a Coptic Solidarity event, and his personal faith and sincere expression of commitment to protecting Copts and religious minorities of the MENA region was heartening to all present. Rep. Lawler explained, “Religious freedom is not just a constitutional value. It’s a human right and in my role as chair of the House’ Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, I consider it one of the most important responsibilities to elevate and defend that right. Across the Middle East indigenous Christian communities, including Copts, Assyrians and Maronites, are being driven from their homelands by violence, repression and neglect. Coptic Christians face systemic inequality, violence against churches, and abductions of women and girls; abuses that demand global attention and accountability. These are not just religious injustices. They are crimes against humanity aimed at erasing the history and identity future of entire peoples.”
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis stopped by to share brief remarks. As a member of the Greek Orthodox Church, she expressed solidarity with the Coptic community and encouraged them to continue sharing their stories of persecution — both personal and from their families. She emphasized the importance of raising awareness among religious communities and educating members of Congress to help protect and promote religious freedom around the world.
Coptic Solidarity selected Mark M. Basta as the recipient of our Annual Leadership Award for being a proactive young leader with outstanding scholarly contributions and spirited advocacy to achieve equality for the Indigenous Copts of Egypt.
Speaker: Candace Lukasik, Ph.D. – Faculty Leave Fellow at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis University
In this presentation, Candace Lukasik discussed her book Martyrs and Migrants, which explores how Coptic Orthodox Christians navigate violence, migration, and transnational recognition following the 2011 Egyptian revolution. Drawing on over two years of ethnographic research in Egypt and the United States, she traces how Copts frame their suffering in religious and political terms—sometimes as persecuted minorities deserving asylum, other times as subjects of racialized suspicion under U.S. counterterrorism. The talk underscored how Coptic identity is shaped across borders, complicated by diaspora discourses of Christian persecution, American religious freedom, and shared but unequal life with Muslims in Egypt. Lukasik highlighted how local experiences of discrimination, class inequality, and sectarian violence intersect with global power structures, including U.S. foreign policy and international religious freedom campaigns. Through a rich ethnographic vignette from the village of Bahjūra in Upper Egypt, she showed how everyday Muslim-Christian relations oscillate between intimacy and conflict, and how migration reshapes those relations in ways that can harden sectarian perceptions. Rather than treating Coptic migrants as victims or agents alone, the book reveals how they are formed within—and respond to—transnational regimes of violence, recognition, and hope.
Session: Regional Focus on North Africa
Moderator: Hulda Fahmi – Communications Associate, Jubilee Campaign
- Nasredeen Abdulbari – Senior Peace Fellow, PILPG; Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; former Minister of Justice (Sudan), Washington Institute for a New Sudan
- Rachid Hammami – Author & Host of With Clarity Weekly TV Program
During the session Nasredeen Abdulbari –former Minister of Justice (Sudan) who was instrumental in securing the repeal of the anti-apostasy law in Sudan – shared some background to the history of Sudan. He shared how the introduction of sharia in Sudan lead to the deterioration of human rights. He shared how many Coptic community members were forced to flee the country. He recalled the testimony of a Greek businessman who owned a hotel and a restaurant, “I didn’t want to leave. But because sharia was applied, I was forced to leave.”
Abdulbari continued, “This shows how the adoption of a specific religion or identity in general by the state can actually cause problems to citizens and to religious minorities but also to ethnic and cultural minorities.”
He emphasized that the future of a prosperous Sudan is contingent on a democratic and secular state: “Without having a state that is democratic that accommodates diversity the violations will continue and we will not have laws that respect the freedoms fundamental freedoms.” Sudan is a diverse country with more than 500 ethnic groups, with Muslims but also Christians and African religions.
Rachid Hammami – Author & Host of With Clarity Weekly TV Program
Brother Rachid brought attention to severe religious freedom violations perpetrated by the government in Algeria where, “A Bible in the wrong place [has become] a crime in Algeria.”
He shared how the Algerian government is targeting the basic rights of freedom of worship of Christians in Algeria: targeting their right to gather, to read scripture, to speak of Jesus, to be free. He outlined in detail the laws used to persecute Algerian Christians in Algeria, “Algeria a country of religious diversity has become a place of religious persecution.” He spoke particularly about Ordinance 06-03 which requires authorization for worship, under this law all non-Muslims must have an approval by a special national commission, “but the commission never meets,” Brother Rasheed shared, “It has become a tool of silence not dialogue, as a result most churches are not legally recognized.” He shared that to date 58 of these local churches have been forcibly closed and only one still standing. While no Christians are currently in prison there are 32 individuals who have active legal cases against them.
“Algeria is betraying its legacy. Both the Christian heritage of its soil and the free spirit of the Berber people,” he emphasized. Brother Rachid urged the US to put pressure on the Algerian government to recognize in practice the freedom of Christian converts to practice their religion or belief by reopening the sealed churches and repealing Ordonnance 06-03.
The conference closed with an update from Lindsay Rodriguez, Director of Development & Advocacy, regarding Coptic Solidarity’s work over the past year.
