U.S. lawmakers introduce resolutions condemning Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians
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United States Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) introduced S.Res.327 in the U.S. Senate, while Representative Riley Moore (R-WV) introduced a House companion resolution, H.Res.594, which currently has nine cosponsors, condemning Christian persecution, including Azerbaijan’s ethnic cleansing of Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported.
“We commend Senator Hawley, Representative Moore, and their Congressional colleagues for prioritizing the safety, dignity, and rights of Armenian and other at-risk Christian communities across the greater Middle East,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
The resolution text highlights specific cases of anti-Christian violence and discrimination across the region, including three countries where Armenian Christian populations continue to face systemic persecution: “In Azerbaijan, Armenian Christians in Nagorno-Karabakh face ethnic cleansing and cultural destruction.”
In Turkey, the resolution notes that: “Christians have difficulty procuring adequate worship spaces; missionaries are forced out of the country on false charges of national security concerns; and foreign national clergy face barriers to remaining in country.” And in Syria, the resolution warns: “The Christian minority continues to be at risk of disappearing by attacks from militants and terrorists.”
S.Res.327 and H.Res.594 call on President Trump to prioritize the protection of persecuted Christians as part of the United States’ foreign policy agenda. The resolutions urge the administration to engage Muslim-majority nations diplomatically and utilize all available tools—including trade and national security negotiations—to advance religious freedom.
According to the Open Doors World Watch List 2025, over 380 million Christians worldwide endure high levels of persecution and discrimination, with many concentrated in Muslim-majority countries. The report identifies religious repression ranging from violence and imprisonment to forced conversions and cultural erasure—including in Turkey, Syria, and Azerbaijan, ANCA reported.