May 16, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 15, 2000
Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240
WHAT: Members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom will testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee during a hearing on the Commission's first annual report, issued May 1. Commission Chair Rabbi David Saperstein and Commissioners Elliott Abrams, Firuz Kazemzadeh, and Nina Shea will testify.
WHEN: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE: 419 Dirksen Building
BACKGROUND: The Commission issued its first annual report to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress on May 1. The Commission made recommendations on China, Sudan, and Russia, most notably recommending that Congress grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations status only after China makes substantial improvement in respect for religious freedom. In addition to the remarks of Chairman Saperstein, Commissioner Abrams will testify about China, Commissioner Kazemzadeh about Russia, and Commissioner Shea about Sudan. The full report can be found on the Commission's Web site at www.uscirf.gov. Robert Seiple, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom and an ex officio member of the Commission, will be representing the Administration on these issues.
Rabbi David Saperstein, Chair
- Dean Michael K. Young, Vice Chair Hon. Elliott Abrams Laila Al-Marayati, M.D. Hon. John R. Bolton Firuz Kazemzadeh Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick Nina Shea Justice Charles Z. Smith Ambassador Robert Seiple, Ex-Officio Steven T. McFarland, Executive Director
May 12, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2000
Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240
WHAT:Commissioner Elliott Abrams of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Steven T. McFarland, the Commission's Executive Director, will speak at a discussion of the Commission's first Annual Report, sponsored by the Institute on Religion and Public Policy.
WHEN:Friday, May 12, 2000 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon
WHERE:100 Maryland Ave., NW, Rooms 1 & 2, Washington, DC
BACKGROUND:The Institute on Religion and Public Policy is sponsoring a discussion entitled "Report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom: What It Means for Religious Freedom and U.S. Foreign Policy." The Commission's report was issued May 1 and includes a recommendation that "Congress should grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status only after China makes substantial improvement in respect for religious freedom." The report also recommended giving non-lethal aid to appropriate opposition groups in Sudan if, after a 12-month period, the Khartoum government has not stopped its human rights violations and crimes against humanity. In addition, the report made recommendations on Russia and reviewed the State Department's first Annual Report on International Religious Freedom. The Commission' full report can be found on its Web site at www.uscirf.gov.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." src="https://www.uscirf.org/images/layout/subbottomtext1.gif" />
Rabbi David Saperstein,Chair
|
May 10, 2000
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 9, 2000
Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240
WHAT:Steven T. McFarland, Executive Director of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, will testify before the House International Relations Committee during a hearing on whether to grant Permanent Normal Trade Relations status to China.
WHEN:Wednesday, May 10, 2000 at 10:00 a.m.
WHERE:Room 2172, Rayburn Building
BACKGROUND:Mr. McFarland will testify just days after the release of the Commission's annual report, in which the Commission recommended that "Congress should grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status only after China makes substantial improvement in respect for religious freedom." Mr. McFarland will identify the standards (actions) by which the Commission believes "substantial improvement in religious freedom" should be measured. The full report can be found on the Commission's Web site at www.uscirf.gov.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress."
Rabbi David Saperstein,Chair
- Dean Michael K. Young,Vice Chair Hon. Elliott Abrams, Laila Al-Marayati, M.D.Hon. John R. Bolton, Firuz Kazemzadeh, Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, Nina Shea, Justice Charles Z. Smith, Ambassador Robert Seiple, Ex-Officio, Steven T. McFarland, Executive Director