Oct 1, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USCIRF Releases New Report about Religious Tensions and Fulani Communities in West and Central Africa

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on religious tensions and Fulani communities in west and central Africa:

West and Central Africa Factsheet – This factsheet explores the role that religion plays in escalating violence committed by and against Fulani communities in west and central Africa. Predominantly Muslim and historically associated with cattle herding and livestock rearing, Fulani communities – one of the largest ethnic groups in the world – stretch across the African continent from Senegal to Sudan and have been both the victims and perpetrators of violence against civilians in many countries in recent years. Although the extent to which religious ideology contributes to driving this violence remains a subject of debate, the trend of increasing violence by and against Fulani groups is clearly aggravating religious tensions in countries such as Nigeria and the Central African Republic.

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S State Department designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its ongoing, systematic, and egregious religious freedom violations. USCIRF also recommended that the State Department place the Central African Republic on its Special Watch List (SWL).

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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].

 

Additional Name(s): Pavel Davidovich Shreider

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Kyrgyzstan

Religion or Belief: Christian – Unspecified/Other

Reports of Torture: Yes

Date of Detainment: November/13/2024

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Hate Speech

Pavel Shreider

Extra Bio Info:

Pavel Shreider is imprisoned for his religious activities.

On November 13, 2024, armed National Security Committee officials arrested Shreider at his home in Bishkek using force on charges of "inciting racial, ethnic, national, religious, or regional enmity" (Criminal Code Article 330, Part 1). Shreider is a respected community member of the True and Free Reform Seventh-day Adventist Church, which is banned as extremist in Kyrgyzstan. On the day of his arrest, officers raided Shreider's home, church, and the homes of nine other church members, confiscating religious materials. While detained, officers struck Shreider on his head, chest, stomach, and back. Shreider spent over six months in pre-trial detention.

In April, a preliminary hearing took place at Birinchi May District Court in Bishkek.

On July 10, a court sentenced Shreider to three years in prison and to be deported after serving his sentence. 

Sources:
  • KYRGYZSTAN: Up to 7 years' imprisonment for True and Free Adventist Pastor? Forum 18

Gender: Male

Current Location: Investigation Prison No. 5 in Karshi (Shaykhali Prison)

Perpetrator: Uzbekistan

Religion or Belief: Muslim – Sunni

Sentence: 8 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: June/18/2024

Date of Sentencing: December/18/2024

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Discussing Religion & Religious Texts

Nature of Charges: Extremism

Anvar Abdullayev

Extra Bio Info:

Anvar Abdullayev is imprisoned for his independent religious activity.

On June 18, 2024, police arrested Abdullayev and other Muslims he was associated with after some of their group had attended a meal at the home of a state employee on that day. Reportedly, the employee regularly arranges meetings for Muslims during which he encourages attendees to make illegal statements while secretly recording them. During the arrests, police were dressed in military camouflage, carried machine guns, and used force. The Kashkadarya Regional Police Criminal Investigation Department charged Abdullayev with "creating, leading, or participating in religious extremist, separatist, fundamentalist or other banned organizations" (Art. 244-2.1 UCC).

On December 18, 2024, the Karshi Criminal Court sentenced Abdullayev to eight years in a strict regime prison.

Related Cases: Laziz Vokhidov; Khasan Abdirakhimov; Gaybullo Jalilov; Sardor Jurayev; Jamshid Abdirakhimov; Umar Khalimov