FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

USCIRF Releases New Report about Conscientious Objection

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new legislation factsheet about conscientious objection, which is the right to refuse military service based on religious beliefs:

Conscientious Objection Legislation Factsheet - This factsheet explains the international human rights standards that govern conscientious objection. Many states struggle with balancing national security concerns and human rights. Nevertheless, governments must ensure the right to object to military service based on genuinely-held religious beliefs as an integral part of the absolute right to hold beliefs. The report outlines human rights standards for laws on conscientious objection, including the process to obtain this status. When compliant with these principles, civilian alternatives to military service can facilitate the contribution of conscientious objectors to the public good, while respecting their beliefs and rights. In countries without provisions for conscientious objection to mandatory military service, individuals often face imprisonment or discrimination. In this factsheet, USCIRF calls on states to ensure their laws comprehensively protect conscientious objectors and to release all individuals currently detained for this reason.

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF condemned the treatment of conscientious objectors in Eritrea, Turkmenistan, and Azerbaijan.

In October 2019, USCIRF launched its FoRB Victims List, a database that collects information on states and entities that USCIRF has recommended for designation as “countries of particular concern,” “entities of particular concern,” or countries on the “Special Watch List.” This database includes several victims that are imprisoned for conscientious objection, including Bahtiyar Atahanov and Jovidon Bobojonov, whose cases are highlighted in the factsheet.

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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] or Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected].

USCIRF Urges Justice for the Rohingya People on Third Anniversary of Genocidal Campaign

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today marked the third anniversary of the Burmese military’s violent and brutal campaign against the Rohingya people that continues to this day.

“Three years after the beginning of the genocidal campaign against the Rohingya people, the Burmese government has done almost nothing to hold the military accountable or make conditions safe for the Rohingya to return to their homes,” USCIRF Commissioner Nadine Maenza stated. “Refugee camps are not a long-term solution for the Rohingya people. The United States and the international community must reinvigorate and catalyze efforts to permit the Rohingya to return to their home in Burma as full citizens.”

On August 25, 2017, the Burmese military launched a genocidal campaign allegedly targeting insurgents in Rakhine State. The United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar has documented instances of Burmese military units involved in indiscriminate killings of civilians, mass rape, and arbitrary detentions. According to the UN Refugee Agency, more than 740,000 Rohingya refugees fled to camps in Bangladesh, while another 120,000 are displaced internally. In December 2019, the Treasury Department imposed financial sanctions under the Global Magnitsky Act against four senior Burmese military generals, including Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, due to their command responsibility for atrocities in Rakhine State.

“USCIRF urges the State Department to hold the Burmese Government accountable and  call its actions against the Rohingya what they are: genocide and crimes against humanity,” noted USCIRF Vice Chair Anurima Bhargava. "The United States and the international community must also take steps to curb the hate and violence being perpetuated against the Rohingya -- then and now -- through social media and technology." 

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF called upon the administration to use its authority under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and the International Religious Freedom Act to impose targeted sanctions on Burmese officials responsible for severe religious freedom violations against Rohingya Muslims. In March 2020, USCIRF released a factsheet about ongoing cases against the Burmese government globally.

USCIRF will hold a webinar about Rohingya refugees on August 27, 2020.

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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] or Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected].

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 31, 2020

USCIRF Applauds Global Magnitsky Sanctions Against Xinjiang Entity

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today applauded the U.S. Department of Treasury’s designation of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) under the Global Magnitsky Act for committing egregious religious freedom violations against Uyghur and other Muslims.

“For years, we have advocated for sanctioning the XPCC. This announcement is a significant step even beyond the sanctions announced earlier this month against senior Communist Party officials,” USCIRF Commissioner Nury Turkel stated. “The XPCC is essentially a parallel government in Xinjiang and has been directly involved in implementing the surveillance, mass detention, and forced labor of Uyghurs.”

The XPCC, also known as the Bingtuan, runs schools, hospitals, and even prisons in Xinjiang. The entity controls cotton fields that use forced labor. The latest Global Magnitsky designations also cover two senior XPCC officials, Jiarui Peng and Jinlong Sun.

On July 9, the Treasury Department added four senior Chinese officials to the Global Magnitsky Designations List, including Chen Quanguo, Communist Party Secretary for Xinjiang. These measures follow the enactment of the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act, which directs the administration to impose financial sanctions and visa bans against Chinese government officials responsible for the persecution of Uyghur and other Muslims.

“This latest round of sanctions show that the U.S. government is increasingly able to identify and target those Chinese entities most responsible for religious freedom abuses against Uyghur and other Muslims,” noted USCIRF Commissioner Gary Bauer. “Communist China can no longer hide its religious freedom abuses from the world.”

In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF called for targeted sanctions against senior Chinese officials, included Chen Quanguo. Since 2017, the Chinese government has detained more than a million Uyghur, Kazakh, and other Muslims, often targeting individuals engaged in religious practices, such as growing beards or wearing veils.

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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] or Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected].