USCIRF Statement on the Killing of Jewish Worshipers in Jerusalem Synagogue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 21, 2014 | USCIRF
What's New at USCIRF
1/22/15 | Press Releases
1/20/15 | Press Releases
1/15/15 | Factsheets
1/14/15 | Spotlight
1/9/15 | Press Releases
12/22/14 | Press Releases
12/11/14 | Op-Eds
Defending Freedoms Project
In December 2012, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Amnesty International USA, launched the Defending Freedoms Project with the aim of supporting human rights and religious freedom throughout the world with a particular focus on prisoners of conscience.
Specifically, Members of Congress “adopt” prisoners of conscience, standing in solidarity with these brave men and women, while committing to advocate publicly for their release.
Click here to find more information on the Defending Freedoms Project.
Top Row: Agnes Uwimana Nkusi – Rwanda , Saeed Abedini – Iran, Father Nguyen Van Ly – Vietnam
Middle Row: Gao Zhisheng – China, Nabeel Rajab – Bahrain
Bottom Row: Mahvash Sabet – Iran, Asia Bibi – Pakistan, Dawit Issac – Eritrea.
USCIRF's 2014 Annual Report
USCIRF Issues its 2014 Annual Report
15th Anniversary Retrospective: Renewing the Commitment
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal advisory body the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) created to monitor religious freedom abuses abroad, today released its 2014 Annual Report, and recommended that the State Department add eight more nations to its list of “countries of particular concern,” defined under law as countries where particularly severe violations of religious freedom are tolerated or perpetrated: Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Vietnam.
USCIRF also recommended that the following eight countries be re-designated as “countries of particular concern,” or CPCs: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan.
Spotlight
Many countries around the world have laws that punish expression deemed blasphemous, defamatory of religion, or contemptuous or insulting to religion or religious symbols, figures, or feelings. The application of these laws has resulted in individuals being jailed for merely expressing a different religious belief or being falsely accused.
In January 2015, USCIRF issued a press release, USCIRF Statement on flogging of Saudi blogger, Raif Badawi. From the press release:
“Raif Badawi was the victim of a cruel and barbaric act carried out by the Saudi justice system – unfortunately, business as usual in the Kingdom. And for nothing more than creating an online forum for diverse views to be expressed freely.”
Social Media
The Religious Violence Project
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has launched the Religious Violence Project to highlight violations of religious freedom abroad. Learn more here.
August 2014 Factsheet: Violence Towards Religious Communities in Pakistan
USCIRF Staff Perspectives
- Pakistan Leads the World in Blasphemy Prisoners, by Knox Thames and Elizabeth Cassidy for the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs - March 27, 2014
For more persectives, click here.
Turkey: Reopen Halki
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 20, 2014 | USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today urged the Turkish government to reopen the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary, the only Greek Orthodox educational institution in Turkey, which was closed 43 years ago this month. Halki remains closed despite Turkish government officials’ promises and public statements of support for its reopening.
USCIRF Helps Launch International Parliamentary Coalition to Advance Religious Freedom
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November 10, 2014 | USCIRF
The Continued Need to Combat Anti-Semitism
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2014 | USCIRF
Burma: USCIRF Issues Report on Religious Freedom and Related Human Rights Violations
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2014 | USCIRF
CHINA: USCIRF Condemns Arrest of Chinese Buddhist Leader Wu Zeheng and Detention and Mistreatment of Religious Leaders
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2014 | USCIRF
The Seattle Times -- World must pressure North Korea on human rights
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
October 27, 2014 | By Katrina Lantos Swett and Mary Ann Glendon
The following op-ed appeared in The Seattle Times on October 24, 2014
The U.S. Commitment to Religious Freedom Abroad: Honoring International Religious Freedom Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 27, 2014 | USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today commemorates International Religious Freedom Day, marking the 16th anniversary of the passage of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA).
The Detroit News -- Two holy days, observed in freedom
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
October 6, 2014 | By M. Zuhdi Jasser and Hannah Rosenthal
The following op-ed appeared in The Detroit News on October 4, 2014.
China: USCIRF Condemns Harsh Sentence for Ilham Tohti
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2014 | USCIRF
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns the life sentence handed down to respected Uighur Muslim scholar Ilham Tohti for “separatism.” The conditions of his detention and trial as well as his sentence clearly violate international law and call into question China’s claim to be a country based on the rule of law.
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About the Commission
Who We Are
USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world, that monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.
What We're About
Inherent in religious freedom is the right to think as we please, believe or not believe as our conscience leads, and live out our beliefs openly, peacefully, and without fear.
We are about freedom…
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