Sep 28, 2015
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
September 28, 2015 | Daniel I. Mark and Katrina Lantos Swett
The following op-ed appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on September 27, 2015
Washington hosted two dramatically different dignitaries last week - Pope Francis and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both had meetings with President Obama, and the pope became the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of Congress.
These two leaders are on exactly opposite paths: Pope Francis is a stalwart champion of human rights and witness for religious freedom while President Xi heads a regime that is one of the world's most notorious violators of human rights, including religious freedom.
Pope Francis embodies religious freedom's universal message and promise, as cited in Article 18 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
"Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance."
In contrast, President Xi symbolizes a world in which more than 75 percent of people live in countries that perpetrate or tolerate serious violations of this liberty.
Despite this global crisis for religious freedom, people who cherish this right are found across the globe. Now, people around the world must speak for the persecuted with one powerful, united voice.
Last weekend in New York, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) took its latest step in promoting that aim, bringing together like-minded people from nearly 50 countries for an unprecedented meeting. Cosponsored by the International Panel of Parliamentarians for Freedom of Religion or Belief (IPP), the gathering included more than 100 parliamentarians as well as diplomats and civil society and religious leaders. They met next to the United Nations, where the General Assembly is now in its 70th annual session.
Since its launch last November, the IPP has focused on threats to religious freedom from both governments and nonstate actors. Some governments, including China's and North Korea's, are secular tyrannies that suppress religious groups across the board. Other countries, such as Iran and Sudan, elevate a single religion or religious interpretation while persecuting those who embrace alternatives.
These state actors abuse religious freedom in many ways, including by imprisoning people due to their beliefs and actions. In China, for example, Ilham Tohti, a respected Uighur Muslim scholar, is serving a life sentence for alleged "separatism." Iran holds hundreds of religious prisoners, from Baha'is to Christians, from Sufis and Sunnis to Shiite reformers and clerics.
At least one electoral democracy is also a major abuser of religious freedom. Pakistan, which a USCIRF delegation visited for the first time in March, has more people on death row or serving life sentences for blasphemy than any other country. Pakistan's blasphemy law not only violates freedom of religion but also emboldens nonstate actors, including extremist religious groups, to assault and murder perceived transgressors.
In addition, over the last year, nonstate religious actors have fueled some of the worst humanitarian crises of our time. In both Iraq and Syria, ISIS and other violent religious groups have kidnapped and enslaved Yazidi and Christian women and girls, beheaded or crucified men and boys, driven families from their homes, and uprooted 2,000-year-old faith communities that are now threatened with extinction.
In Nigeria, Boko Haram has perpetrated mass killings at churches and mass kidnappings of children.
In Burma, Buddhist extremists have assaulted Rohingya Muslims.
In the Central African Republic, fighting between Christians and Muslims has destroyed nearly all the country's mosques.
And these conflicts have forced millions of people to flee for their lives.
The IPP has written over the last nine months to the heads of state of Myanmar, Pakistan, and Indonesia, to the Sudanese foreign minister, and to the North Korean ambassador to the United Nations. Citing international pressure, Pakistan's government introduced reforms to its blasphemy law; Sudan released two jailed Christian pastors; and the North Koreans invited Brazilian members of IPP to Pyongyang to discuss religious freedom concerns.
Last weekend, the IPP's 100 parliamentarians signed the New York Resolution on Freedom of Religion or Belief.
We applaud them for standing for Pope Francis' way of freedom, not President Xi's path of repression.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or at 202-786-0615.
Sep 24, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 24, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) supports the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2015 (S. 2078). USCIRF, which is set to sunset on September 30, 2015, urges both the Senate and House to swiftly pass the bill.
“All USCIRF Commissioners support S. 2078 which was drafted by Senators Corker (R-TN), Cardin (D-MD), Rubio (R-FL), and Durbin (D-IL), and which was unanimously approved today by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. This bipartisan bill would allow USCIRF to continue its vital mission in support of international religious freedom. Such support is critically necessary today, especially given the importance of religion in today’s world and the violations of religious freedom that top the foreign policy challenges the United States faces,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George, who was appointed to the Commission by Speaker of the House John Boehner. Eric P. Schwartz, a USCIRF Vice Chair who was appointed by President Obama, agreed, noting that “this bill has support from all Commissioners and bipartisan support in the Senate.”
USCIRF is composed of nine private sector commissioners who volunteer their time in support of USCIRF’s mandate, and the U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, who is a non-voting member. Commissioners are appointed by the President and Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate. USCIRF is a congressionally created entity that is separate and independent from the Department of State, and is not a non-governmental organization, interest group, or advocacy organization.
The current Commissioners are: Dr. Robert P. George (Chairman), Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser (Vice Chair), Eric P. Schwartz (Vice Chair), Mary Ann Glendon, Dr. Daniel I. Mark, Rev. Thomas J. Reese S.J., Hannah Rosenthal, Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, and Dr. James J. Zogby. Ambassador David Saperstein, the State Department's Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, serves as an ex-officio member of the Commission.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or 202-786-0613.
Sep 22, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) marks the three-year anniversary of the imprisonment in Iran of Saeed Abedini, an Iranian-American pastor. Since September 26, 2012, Pastor Abedini has been jailed unjustly, allegedly for “threatening the national security of Iran.”
“The Iranian government’s continued imprisonment of Pastor Abedini is a gross violation of the internationally-protected right to freedom of religion or belief. The Iranian government actively suppresses any religious belief and activity it disapproves of and denies any semblance of rule of law that meets international standards,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George. “USCIRF calls on the Iranian government to ensure Pastor Abedini’s safety and immediately and unconditionally release him. USCIRF also calls on the United States and the international community to raise Pastor Abedini’s case in all international fora, and for the U.S. government to freeze the assets and entry into the U.S. of all Iranian officials responsible for serious violations of religious freedom and related human rights against Pastor Abedini and other prisoners of conscience.”
Pastor Abedini was arrested three years ago for his humanitarian activity in the Christian house church movement and was given an eight-year sentence on January 27, 2013 by “hanging judge” Judge Pir-Abassi. He has spent weeks in solitary confinement in the notorious Evin prison and was transferred to the Rajai Shahr prison, which is known for its harsh and unsanitary conditions. In both prisons, he has been abused physically and psychologically.
“President Rouhani has failed to improve the climate for religious freedom, particularly for religious minority communities,” said Chairman George. “We urge the White House and State Department to continue to speak out at the highest levels about the severe religious freedom violations in Iran and urge the U.S. Congress to reauthorize the Lautenberg Amendment, which provides a much needed lifeline for religious minorities in Iran who are seeking safe haven in the United States.”
Religious freedom conditions in Iran continue to deteriorate, particularly for religious minorities, especially Baha’is, Christian converts, and Sunni and Sufi Muslims. Since President Hassan Rouhani assumed office in August 2013, the number of individuals from religious minority communities who are in prison because of their beliefs has increased. At least 350 religious prisoners of conscience remain in Iranian prisons, including about 150 Sunni Muslims, more than 100 Baha’is, some 90 Christians, and a dozen Sufis.
USCIRF has recommended and the State Department has designated Iran as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, since 1999 under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) for Iran’s systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, including prolonged detention, torture, and executions based primarily or entirely upon the religion of the accused.
For more recommendations, see USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report. For more information on Iran’s prisoners of conscience included in the Defending Freedoms Project, please click here.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or 202-786-0613.