FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 5, 2017

H.R. 390: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes Genocide Bill

USCIRF Chairman Mark calls committee action “a key step toward helping victims of ISIS genocide”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) praises the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s passage of H.R. 390, the “Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act of 2017.”   USCIRF urges the full Senate to quickly take up this urgently needed legislation, the House to swiftly reconsider it, and the President to expeditiously sign it into law.

“The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has targeted religious and ethnic minorities and others throughout Iraq and Syria,” said USCIRF’s Chairman Daniel Mark.  “Two U.S. administrations have singled out ISIS for committing genocide against Yazidis, Christians, and Shi’a Muslims.  Now greater steps must be taken to give these groups the aid, protection, and justice they deserve. Delay only further endangers them and makes accountability more difficult.”

As passed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, H.R. 390 would provide emergency relief for victims of genocide, crimes against humanity in Iraq and Syria, address urgent humanitarian, stabilization, and recovery needs, and provide accountability for perpetrators of these crimes.

“This past April, pursuant to the 2016 Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act, USCIRF recommended that ISIS in Iraq and Syria be designated as an Entity of Particular Concern,” said Chairman Mark.  “This latest legislation is a key step toward helping victims of ISIS genocide.”

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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

September 27, 2017

USCIRF Releases New Report: 

A Right for All:  Freedom of Religion or Belief in ASEAN

Chairman Mark calls on ASEAN to work to “uphold international human rights standards”

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released A Right for All: Freedom of Religion or Belief in ASEAN, a report documenting the state of this freedom in the 10 Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).  The study examines ASEAN’s and the Member States’ approaches to this fundamental right, praising the fact that “ASEAN has achieved some level of cooperation across such diversity” and noting where improvement is needed.

“ASEAN has demonstrated a clear willingness to become an economic, political, and cultural force in the region and the world,” said USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark.  He added, however, that “ASEAN and the Member States have a responsibility to uphold international human rights standards, including by protecting freedom of religion or belief and related human rights.”

The report’s author, Tina Mufford, USCIRF Senior Analyst for East Asia, found that ASEAN’s approach to human rights has been shaped by two competing interests: Member States’ desire to integrate as a bloc and their historical commitment to independence and non-interference in each other’s affairs.  Citing ASEAN’s 50^th anniversary and 40 years of U.S. engagement, Ms. Mufford said that the United States is uniquely positioned to press Member States to uphold international human rights standards.  “Doing so,” she said, “would send a strong and clear signal about U.S. priorities in the region.”

Each ASEAN nation faces crosscutting challenges that transcend borders, such as refugees, terrorism, and ultra-nationalism.  Common religious freedom violations include the detention of prisoners of conscience and the use of blasphemy laws and other similar measures.

“USCIRF calls upon ASEAN to protect the religious freedom of all,” said Chairman Mark.  “Burma’s Rohingya crisis is a prime example of where ASEAN should step up to its international commitments and work with its Member States to prevent ongoing violations and help protect and aid this vulnerable population.”  Read USCIRF’s recent press release about the Rohingya crisis here.

The full report may be found here.  Follow USCIRF’s posting about this report on Twitter (@USCIRF) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/USCIRF/).

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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

September 20, 2017

IRAN: Mahvash Sabet, Religious Prisoner of Conscience, Released

USCIRF Vice Chairwoman Arriaga cites Sabet’s “courage in the face of persecution and dedication to her faith”

 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the release of Iranian religious prisoner of conscience Mahvash Sabet, one of the seven imprisoned Baha’i leaders known as the “Yaran.” In 2008, all seven were arrested and sentenced to prison on false charges of espionage and “spreading propaganda against the regime.” Ms. Sabet has been released after serving her 10-year sentence under these false charges.

“Mahvash Sabet has been unjustly imprisoned under terrible conditions simply for daring to practice her religion and educate her fellow Baha’is. Mahvash’s courage in the face of persecution and her dedication to her faith are truly inspiring,” said USCIRF Vice Chairwoman Kristina Arriaga, who has advocated in support of Ms. Sabet and her fellow prisoner Fariba Kamalabadi. “While we welcome Mahvash’s release, the release of other imprisoned Baha’i leaders and all Iranian prisoners of conscience jailed for their religion or belief must swiftly follow.”

Vice Chairwoman Arriaga took up Ms. Sabet’s case as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project. Upon learning of this advocacy, Ms. Sabet’s family sent Vice Chairwoman Arriaga a piece of artwork that Ms. Sabet had made in prison (pictured above). Through the Religious Prisoners of Conscience 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” 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, “The United States must continue to speak publicly and unequivocally against these religious freedom violations.   In addition, the U.S. government should hold accountable Iranian government agencies and officials who perpetrate severe religious freedom violations by using all available tools against such perpetrators, including freezing their assets and denying them visas."

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).