Fifth Trip to Washington, D.C. — March 7–12, 2026 (Report)

From March 7 to 12, 2026, Boris Perchatkin and ARRC team conducted their fifth trip to Washington, D.C. Four high-level meetings were held with federal officials in the areas of religious freedom, foreign policy, and human rights advocacy.

Meeting 1 — U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) — March 9

We met with representatives of USCIRF. We presented documented evidence of religious persecution in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, including criminal prosecutions targeting pacifist Christians. We discussed refugee eligibility under the Lautenberg Amendment.

Meeting 2 — U.S. Department of State — March 10

We met with Principal Advisor Mark Walker and Foreign Affairs Officer Jamie Staley at the U.S. Department of State. We presented documentation on the asylum crisis and the need for case review mechanisms. Follow-up established with Emily Libruk of the Office of International Religious Freedom.

Meeting 3 — Office of Congressman Steny Hoyer — March 11

We met with Romina Matin in the office of Congressman Steny Hoyer. We briefed the office on discriminatory treatment of Russian-speaking detainees in immigration proceedings, including higher bail amounts and delayed habeas corpus hearings.

Meeting 4 — Helsinki Commission — March 12

At 234 Ford House Office Building, we met with Paul Massaro, Policy Adviser at the Helsinki Commission. We presented evidence of persecution across the post-Soviet region and advocated for stronger U.S. policy responses.

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