November 14, 2013 - Andrew Bennett, Canada’s Ambassador for Religious Freedom, today issued the following statement:
“Canada commemorates the Day of Ashura and strongly condemns the attacks yesterday and today in Baghdad and other parts of Iraq that killed or wounded numerous members of the Shia community. Attacks on places of worship are unacceptable. There can be no justification for these cowardly acts, which targeted innocent men, women and children simply practising their faith in peace.
“Canada joins with the Government of Iraq in condemning these attacks in the strongest of terms, and we hope that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
“Canada firmly believes it is the duty of all countries to defend and uphold freedom of religion as a fundamental right of all human beings. Canada is also extremely concerned by the surge of sectarian violence in Iraq that has claimed the lives of thousands of people, mostly civilians, during 2013.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those killed in these attacks, and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.”
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