May 16, 2012 | by M. Zuhdi Jasser and Katrina Lantos Swett

The following op-ed appeared in The Hill today.  For a link to the original article, go to

http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/foreign-policy/227753-blasphemy-bans-threaten-arab-spring-religious-freedom.

Kuwait’s parliament has just passed draconian legal amendments that impose the death penalty on Muslims for blasphemy. The move to stiffen the penalty came after Hamad al-Naqi, a Shi’a Muslim, was arrested in March and taken into custody for allegedly cursing the Prophet Muhammad on Twitter.  The fate of the amendments and of Naqi rests in the hands of Kuwait’s emir.

May 15, 2012 | by Leonard A. Leo and Katrina Lantos Swett

The following essay appeared in the Columbia University Journal of International Affairs today.  For a link to the original article, go to http://jia.sipa.columbia.edu/religious-freedom-violations-south-asia .

In March of this year, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued its 2012 Annual Report to Congress and the executive branch, revealing the disturbing state of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad.[1] From laws curtailing or abrogating this universal right to acts of violence against religious adherents, the report confirmed how religious freedom is being violated in many areas of the world.[2]

Among these areas is South Asia. In Pakistan, for example, governmental violations of religious freedom, such as blasphemy laws, foster extremism by inciting hatred against dissenting religious groups, encouraging private actors to assault their members. In other countries, abuses against religious freedom have led the abused to reject governmental legitimacy and retaliate against it. Research strongly suggests that the protection of religious freedom is correlated with less conflict and is central to the lessening of violent religious extremism, the maintenance of security, the consolidation of democracy, and the advancement of socioeconomic progress.[3]

May 10, 2012 | by USCIRF

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed grave concern over the Kuwaiti Parliament’s approval last week of severe new penalties for blasphemy.  The Emir of Kuwait has 30 days to approve these penalties before they would become law.  The new provisions would impose the death penalty on Muslims who refuse to repent after being found to have insulted God, the Prophet Mohammad, his wives, or the Qur’an.  For non-Muslims, the punishment would be up to 10 years in prison; for Muslims who repent, the punishment would be up to five years or a fine.

May 1, 2012 | by USCIRF

WASHINGTON, DC – – The U.S. Congress has appointed the Honorable Sam Gejdenson to serve as a Commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).  House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) recommended Mr. Gejdenson.