People love lists. And when those lists are in the news, people generally want to be on them: The Top Ten. Who’s Who. Best Dressed.

But no one wants to be on our lists. 

That is because our job, as members of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), is to list the countries responsible for perpetrating or tolerating the world’s worst violations of religious freedom. 

These lists, mandated by Congress, are the centerpiece of our annual recommendations for promoting religious freedom abroad through U.S. foreign policy. From there, our lists go to the State Department, which must determine whether to adopt our recommendations for designating the world’s worst violators as “countries of particular concern” (CPCs).

Thanks to new legislation, the designation of CPCs by the State Department — which did not occur every year and which has not happened since October 2016 — is expected in November. And we, as chairman and vice chairwoman of USCIRF, very much hope that the Trump administration’s list of CPCs will look a lot like ours.

Unfortunately, the State Department designations, which were required by law no later than Nov. 13, still have not been made. Failing to designate CPCs tells the violators of religious freedom around the world that the United States is looking away. The State Department should make such designations without delay.

In our annual report, released in April, USCIRF recommended that 16 countries be designated CPCs: Burma, Central African Republic, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.

Unfortunately, since that time, there has been plenty more bad news to confirm the judgments on our list: Russia’s Supreme Court outlawed the Jehovah’s Witnesses, wiping out the legal existence of an entire religion; Rohingya Muslims are fleeing Burma in the hundreds of thousands as that country’s military leaders conduct what United Nations officials have described as ethnic cleansing; and Pakistan continues its persecution of the Ahmadiyya community, particularly through the use and abuse of blasphemy laws (including death sentences) that have no place in the 21st century.

Meanwhile, USCIRF commends the Trump administration’s nomination of Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. If confirmed before the CPC designations are made, Gov. Brownback’s first priority should be to see all 16 countries designated as CPCs by the State Department.

For now, let us look at just three. 

Russia: This year is the first time USCIRF ever recommended that Russia be designated as a CPC — one of the worst of the worst when it comes to religious freedom violations. We did not come to this conclusion lightly, and Russian actions since have only reinforced our position. 

In outlawing the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Russia absurdly claimed that this pacifist, non-political group was a threat under Russia’s anti-extremism laws. The Witnesses can no longer proselytize, their organization’s property is subject to seizure, they face sanction for gathering to worship, and they now occupy a category of “extremists” with neo-Nazis and jihadists.

Another target of Russia’s attacks is Scientologists. After the Supreme Court ruling against the Witnesses, Russia’s Federal Security Bureau arrested, detained and interrogated five Scientologist leaders in St. Petersburg: Anastasiya Terentyeva, Sakhib Aliev, Ivan Matsytski, Galina Shurinova, and Konstantia Esaulkova. Alleging crimes related to “commercial activity,” these arrests make it clear the Supreme Court ruling against the Witnesses simply cleared the way for more harassment of minority groups.

Moreover, Russia has the dubious distinction of being a country that not only oppresses its religious minorities — it also exports such oppression, as is evidenced by the treatment

of religious minorities in Russian-occupied Ukraine and Crimea. 

Burma: Burma’s Rohingya Muslim population has been called the most persecuted religious minority in the world. Now that truth is being underlined — in ink throughout the world’s headlines and in blood on the earth, as more than half a million have fled for their lives. They flee burned villages and slaughtered families. They flee barefoot over barbed wire and landmines. Now is surely not the time for the U.S. to reverse its longstanding designation of Burma as a CPC.

Pakistan: A U.S. ally in counterterrorism yet also a supporter of extremism in many forms, Pakistan is a conundrum for U.S. policymakers. On religious freedom grounds, however, the issue is clear: Pakistan is among the world’s worst violators. Its blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiyya laws are indefensible, and, through acts of commission and omission, the government deserves blame for the virulence and violence against the Ahmadiyya community throughout Pakistani society. 

And the Ahmadis are but one notable example of religious persecution in Pakistan. For years, the State Department has declined to take up our recommendation, but we believe that the new Trump administration will take a principled stand and finally designate Pakistan a CPC.

Also thanks, to new legislation, USCIRF recommended this year for the first time three non-state actors for designation as “entities of particular concern” (EPCs): the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria; the Taliban in Afghanistan; and al-Shabaab in Somalia.

The administration does not need to make its designations of EPCs in November, but there is no time to waste. We look forward to working with the White House and the State Department on identifying EPCs and the tools to use against them.

For now, the administration can make a strong start in advancing international religious freedom by naming those 16 countries as countries of particular concern. 

Daniel Mark and Sandra Jolley are, respectively, the chairman and vice chairwoman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 14, 2017

State Department Fails to Meet Deadline for CPC Designations

Chairman Mark states that missing the legal deadline tells violators “the United States is looking away”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) criticized the State Department for failing to meet its legal deadline for designating “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPCs).  This congressionally mandated list comprises nations that violate religious freedom in a “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” manner.  USCIRF’s Chairman Daniel Mark said that “failing to designate CPCs tells the violators of religious freedom around the world that the United States is looking away.  The State Department should make such designations without delay.”

The International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 and the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016 mandate that the State Department make such designations no more than 90 days after the State Department releases its annual International Religious Freedom (IRF) Report.  That report was released on August 15, 2017.

IRFA also requires that USCIRF provide recommendations, by May 1 each year, to the department on which countries should be designated CPCs for severe religious freedom violations.  In April, USCIRF recommended that 16 countries be so designated: Burma, Central African Republic, China, Eritrea, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

Chairman Mark said that “The State Department has not always designated CPCs annually, and the Frank Wolf Act sought to correct that problem.  We urge the State Department to rapidly designate the 16 countries recommended by USCIRF.  Such an action would be a strong message to religious freedom abusers that the United States is paying attention and takes seriously these violations.”

USCIRF commends Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for the excellent statement he made accompanying the release of the State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report. There, he stated that religious freedom is a “core American value…and universal human right,” commenting further that it is a “human rights priority” for the Trump Administration.  USCIRF was highly encouraged by his words and urges the Secretary of State to make CPC designations consistent with that bold and forceful statement.

The Frank Wolf Act also requires the State Department, 90 days after the issuance of the IRF report, to place countries that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom onto a “Special Watch List.”  USCIRF also urges the State Department to speedily announce its Special Watch List, and to include the countries that USCIRF placed on its Tier 2 in 2017:  Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Laos, Malaysia, and Turkey.  USCIRF’s Tier 2 is for countries where USCIRF finds that the government has engaged in or tolerated serious violations that are characterized by at least one element of the “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” standard. 

The Frank Wolf Act also requires designations for non-state actors as “entities of particular concern” (EPCs).  USCIRF recommended that the Administration designate the following entities as EPCs: the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Iraq and Syria; the Taliban in Afghanistan; and al-Shabaab in Somalia. The Administration is not legally required to make its EPC designations at this time, but USCIRF looks forward to working with the White House and the State Department on expeditiously identifying EPCs and the tools to use against them.

Read USCIRF’s 2017 Annual Report here.

###

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world. USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leadership of both political parties. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or John D. Lawrence, Director of Communications ([email protected]/ +1-202-786-0611). 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 1, 2017

IRAN: Fariba Kamalabadi, Religious Prisoner of Conscience, Released
Vice Chairwoman Arriaga praises Ms. Kamalabadi’s “courage, grounded in the faith that the Iranian government has tried so hard to repress”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the release of Iranian religious prisoner of conscience Fariba Kamalabadi, one of the Baha’i leaders known as the “Yaran” (Friends in Iran). In 2008, all seven leaders were arrested and sentenced to prison, charged with espionage and “spreading propaganda against the regime.”  Ms. Kamalabadi was released after serving her full 10-year sentence.  This followed the September 2017 release of Mahvash Sabet, a fellow Yaran who also was held in Tehran’s Evin Prison.  The other five Yaran remain imprisoned. 

“Fariba is a mother, a psychologist, a teacher, and ultimately an Iranian citizen who has been denied her rights in a blatant violation of her religious freedom. Fellow prisoners described her compassion and courage, grounded in the faith that the Iranian government has tried so hard to repress,” said USCIRF Vice Chairwoman Kristina Arriaga, who has advocated in support of both Ms. Sabet and Ms. Kamalabadi. “We welcome her release but remain steadfast in calling for the release of the other Yaran and all Iranian religious prisoners of conscience.”

Vice Chairwoman Arriaga took up Ms. Kamalabadi’s and Ms. Sabet’s cases as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project.  Through this project, Commissioners work for the release of individuals who have been imprisoned for their religious identity, beliefs, practices, or advocacy and highlight the laws and policies that led to the imprisonment.

Since 1999, USCIRF has recommended, and the State Department has designated, Iran as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for the government’s systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.  Since President Hassan Rouhani’s election in 2013 and reelection in May 2017, the number of individuals from religious minority communities who are in prison because of their beliefs has increased.  These prisoners demonstrate the Iranian government’s callous disregard for the international human rights agreements that Iran has ratified.

USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark stated, “This month, the State Department should release its designations of CPCs. USCIRF continues to recommend that the State Department designate Iran as a CPC based on systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom targeting not only Baha’is but also Christian converts, Sunni and Sufi Muslims, and dissenting Shi’a Muslims. The U.S. government must stand firm for the religious freedom of the Iranian people utilizing all policy tools available, including asset freezes and visa bans targeting those accountable for violations."

Read USCIRF’s 2017 Annual Report Iran chapter here (Persian translation).

###

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world. USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leadership of both political parties. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or John D. Lawrence, Director of Communications ([email protected]/ +1-202-786-0611).