FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2018

USCIRF Calls for Release of Iranian Prisoner of Conscience Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee

USCIRF Vice Chair Gayle Manchin calls for Iraee’s release on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

WASHINGTON, DC – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Vice Chair Gayle Manchin on Sunday again called on the government of Iran to release Golrokh Ebrahimi Iraee, for whom Vice Chair Manchin advocates as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project.

Iraee is an Iranian author and human rights advocate who wrote pieces and Facebook posts discussing political prisoners and criticizing the official policy of stoning women for adultery. Following a conviction on charges of “insulting Islamic sanctities” and “spreading propaganda,” she was sent to the women’s ward of the notorious Evin Prison. Here she has been subjected to violence including beatings and psychological torture.

“On this day when thousands across the world call for an end to violence against women,” said Vice Chair Manchin, “I want to take the opportunity to highlight the case of Iraee, who is suffering a terrible injustice for courageously advocating for others’ rights. Despite being subjected to repeated physical and psychological abuse, Iraee has shown great strength and resilience. I call on the government of Iran to release her immediately and to cease perpetrating violence against women.”

Since 1999, the State Department has designated Iran as a “country of particular concern” for engaging in systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom.

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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 Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2018

USCIRF Statement on Tomorrow’s Hearing of Russian Prisoner of Conscience Ivan Matsitsky

WASHINGTON, DC – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Vice Chair Kristina Arriaga today expressed concern over reports that Russian investigators introduced falsified information into the case against Ivan Matsitsky, a leader in St. Petersburg’s Scientology community who was arrested last year on charges of involvement in an “extremist conspiracy.” The St. Petersburg City Court will hold Matsitsky’s hearing tomorrow, November 28. Vice Chair Arriaga, who advocates for th­e release of Matsitsky as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project, said, “It is outrageous that on top of unjustly detaining him because of his religious identity, a Russian court is now set to consider falsified information against Ivan. This information was introduced into Ivan’s case in flagrant violation of procedural standards, and it must be rejected. I again call on Russian authorities to immediately release Ivan and end the concerted effort to intimidate and abuse members of all faith communities. The Russian state must uphold its obligation to respect the religious freedom of all; it is simply not free to choose which religions deserve protection and which do not.”

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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 Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 26, 2018
 

USCIRF Condemns Reappearance of Content Promoting Hatred and Violence in Saudi Textbooks

New report provides evidence of reappearance of inflammatory content against non-Muslims, women, and gay men

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today announced the release of its report, “A Survey of 2017-2018 Saudi Middle and High School Textbooks,” which finds a troubling rise in intolerant content in Saudi textbooks promoting hatred and violence. The textbooks particularly demonize and target Shi’a and Sufi Muslims, non-Muslims, critics of Islam, women, and members of the LGBTI community. The report notes that “unlike past revisions to textbooks where progress had been made, these most recent texts contained several intolerant and inflammatory passages.”

“Despite a commitment by Saudi officials to address this problem, these passages teaching hate and violence have reappeared in Saudi textbooks,” said USCIRF Chair Tenzin Dorjee. “The reappearance of some of these passages raises serious questions about whether Saudi Arabia is pursuing meaningful reform in their education system and curriculum. Perhaps even more troubling is that this inflammatory content continues to make its way around the world in Saudi-supported schools and is used by extremist groups like ISIS.”

The report surveys 22 middle and high school textbooks used in Saudi and Saudi-funded schools abroad during the 2017-2018 academic year, comprising nearly 3,000 pages of text. The textbooks encourage both violent and non-violent jihad against non-believers and espouse the death penalty for women who have an affair and for gay men. The textbooks also teach that those who worship differently from the Saudi state-sanctioned interpretation of Islam are polytheists who will go to hell regardless of their good deeds. Shi’a and Sufi veneration of the gravesites of prophets is dismissed as “heresy” while criticism of Islam is deemed “apostasy,” for which the textbooks endorse the death penalty. Finally, the textbooks caution students to avoid friendship with members of other religions.

USCIRF has monitored and reported on the content of Saudi textbooks for more than fifteen years. Commissioners have raised concerns over the content of textbooks in meetings with Saudi government officials during visits to the Kingdom in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, and 2018, and during numerous meetings with Saudi officials in Washington, DC. In March 2018, USCIRF delivered a letter conveying concern over intolerant content in the 2017-2018 textbooks to His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Washington, DC.

USCIRF again recommended this year that Saudi Arabia be designated as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. Although the State Department has designated Saudi Arabia a CPC since 2004, in 2006 it placed an indefinite waiver on taking any action as a consequence of the CPC designation. USCIRF continues to urge the U.S. government to lift the waiver.

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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 or belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.