FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 18, 2009

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - "The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the administration's decision today to appoint a special envoy on Sudan," said Felice D. Gaer, chair of the Commission.  "This is one of the recommendations that we made to the Obama administration last month. The special envoy is uniquely positioned to keep the North-South Sudan peace process moving forward and to negotiate an end to the Darfur genocide."

 Please join us for a screening of “Shadow of the Holy Book” A Documentary Film on Turkmenistan

Wednesday, February 18, 2009 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Ford House Office Building Room 108

Screening Co-sponsored by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the U.S. Helsinki Commission

 

The film "Shadow of the Holy Book, "directed by award-winning Finnish director Arto Halonen, examines how some of the world's biggest international companies have secured lucrative contracts with former President Niyazov's dictatorial regime, including funding translations of the Ruhnama, Niyazov's so-called "spiritual guide."

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 13, 2009

Contact: Robert Schwarzwalder,

Acting Director of Communications

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(202) 523-3240 ext. 127

 

 

WASHINGTON, DC - The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom today expressed serious concern over the future of seven imprisoned leaders of the Iranian Baha'i community.   According to the Iranian Student News Agency, the seven are accused of "espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic republic."  Their trial is scheduled for next week and the penalty for such actions is death.

EVENT ADVISORY - Public Hearing
PAKISTAN:  The Threat of Religious Extremism to Religious Freedom and Security

Tuesday March 17, 2009, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2358-C

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2009

Contact:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

(202) 523-3240, ext. 114

 

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed its serious concern about an agreement proposed last Monday that could enact a system of Taliban-influenced Islamic jurisprudence, or sharia law, in the Swat Valley of the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. While the proposed agreement, described by some as a "peace plan," remains under negotiation and details are still not fully known, the Commission is concerned that such a pact could concede local control to Taliban-associated extremists who routinely use violence to enforce their political and theological agendas, resulting in systematic human rights abuses and severe limitations on religious freedom.