Aug 11, 2022

Malaysia maintains a unique dual legal system divided into civil and religious courts. In recent decades, the influence of these religious courts, which are based on the Shaf’i school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, have grown, adversely impacting religious freedom. Since 2014, USCIRF has been reporting on Malaysia and most recently in 2022 recommended that the U.S. State Department place Malaysia on its Special Watch List (SWL) for religious freedom violations.

USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to provide an overview of Malaysia’s legal system and discuss some high-profile cases directly related to freedom of religion or belief.

Read USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report Chapter on Malaysia

Aug 11, 2022

USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua

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

Nicaragua Country Update – This report details deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua during the first half of 2022. In March, the government expelled the papal nuncio, the Vatican’s chief diplomat in the country, for unexplained reasons. Most recently, a judge sentenced a priest to over four years in prison on spurious charges and the authorities arrested another on suspicious reasoning. Additionally, the government has heightened its repression of Catholic-affiliated organizations by shutting down charities and expelling their workers, stripping universities of funding and legal status, shutting down news media and radio stations, and eliminating non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The report also highlights recent U.S. policy efforts to advance democracy and human rights in the country.

In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State maintain Nicaragua on its Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. USCIRF also highlighted religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua during a February 2022 episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast.

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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 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].

Gender: Female

Perpetrator: India

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Date of Detainment: June/25/2022

Current Status: Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment

Reason for Persecution: Human Rights Work for Religious Communities

Nature of Charges: Criminal Premeditation & Conspiracy Fabricating & Destroying Evidence Filing a False Police Report Forgery

Teesta Setalvad

Extra Bio Info:

Teesta Setalvad was detained for her human rights work supporting minority religious communities. 

On June 25, 2022, an antiterrorism squad in Mumbai arrested Setalvad, a human rights activist and vocal advocate for victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots, for seeking prosecution of senior government officials complicit in the violence. Authorities accused Setalvad of forging evidence against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was the chief minister of Gujarat during the 2002 riots.  Setalvad’s prosecution came a day after the Supreme Court dismissed a petition by her challenging a report by a special investigative team that absolved Modi of involvement in the riots.

Setalvad was reportedly charged with “forgery for purpose of cheating” (Sec. 468 IPC), “using as genuine a forged document or electronic record” (Sec. 471 IPC), "giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of capital offence" (Sec. 194 IPC), “false charge of offence made with intent to injure” (Sec. 211 IPC), "public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save person from punishment or property from forfeiture" (Sec. 218 IPC), and conspiracy (Sec. 120B IPC).

On September 2, 2022, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Setalvad.

On September 3, 2022, Setalvad was released from prison.

On September 20, 2022, the Gujarat Special Investigation Team filed a charge sheet against Setalvad accusing her and others of colluding in an effort to implicate Modi and other government officials with crimes punishable with death.

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