The Chairman of the State Agency for Religious Issues, Zaza Vashakmadze, and the Head of the Legal Maintenance Office, Davit Davitashvili, met with Frederick Davie the United States Commissioner for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the US President's Adviser on Religious Issues, Erin Singshinsuk USCIRF Executive Director, Keely Bakken USCIRF Senior Analyst and Dylan Schexnaydre USCIRF Victims List and Outreach Specialist.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent body consisting of 9 commissioners. They are directly appointed by the president of the country and the first members of the Congress. The commission oversees religious freedom policy at the federal level and makes recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
The facts of violation of basic human rights and freedoms in the occupied territories of Georgia, including freedom of religion and belief and ethnic and religious discrimination by the occupying country, Russia, received special attention of the hosts. The hosts were well acquainted with the current situation in the field of religion in Georgia, and the Agency's delegation had the opportunity to talk in more detail about the current progress. The conversation also touched on the Annual Reports on International Religious Freedom of the US Department of State. According to them, they monitor the activities of the US Department of State, including the activities of the Ambassador of International Religious Freedom and thus based on various sources, they would contribute to the reflection of more objective information about Georgia in the reports.
The meeting was attended by Khatuna Kveselava, the Deputy Chief of Georgian Mission of the Embassy of Georgia to the United States, and Shalva Burduli, the Senior Counselor at the Embassy of Georgia to the USA.