Nov 10, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2020

USCIRF Releases New Report about Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:

“The Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses” Issue Update—This update describes official discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, with a particular focus on countries where members have been imprisoned for their beliefs. These include countries that USCIRF recommended in its 2020 Annual Report for designation as countries of particular concern, such as Eritrea, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan; countries USCIRF recommended for the Special Watch List, including Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan; as well as South Korea and Singapore. The report also makes recommendations for U.S. policy.

USCIRF documents imprisoned Jehovah’s Witnesses on its Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List, and Chair Gayle Manchin advocates for Jehovah’s Witness prisoner Dennis Christensen, imprisoned in Russia, as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience project.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].