Apr 23, 2026

 

 

ISIS Affiliate Threatens Religious Freedom in Mozambique

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following factsheet on Mozambique:   

The Islamic State-Mozambique and Its Local Threats to Religious Freedom - Amid persistent insecurity in northern Mozambique, nonstate armed groups have increasingly targeted religious communities, particularly in Cabo Delgado Province. Chief among these violent actors is the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria’s (ISIS) local affiliate, ISIS-Mozambique (ISIS-M), which has carried out attacks on villages, places of worship, and religious leaders in recent years, contributing to widespread displacement and fear among local communities. While a complex mix of religious, political, and socioeconomic grievances drives IS-M, its alignment with ISIS and its embrace of a violent interpretation of Islam have rendered Christian communities—and Muslims who reject the group’s ideology—especially vulnerable. This publication examines ISIS-M’s ongoing threat to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) and assesses national responses to civilian protection amid the ongoing insurgency.

In its 2026 Annual Report, USCIRF highlighted religious freedom violations and U.S. sanctions related to ISIS affiliates and other nonstate FoRB violators across Africa. 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency 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: Male

Perpetrator: China

Religion or Belief: Buddhist – Tibetan

Current Status: Not Released

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Disappeared

Choktrul Dorje Ten

Extra Bio Info:

Choktrul Dorje Ten was forcibly disappeared for his religious activity and leadership role. 

In December 2025, Chinese authorities arrested Ten, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist leader, abbot of the Osel Thegchok Chokhorling monastery, and founder of a Tibetan vocational school. Authorities refused to provide a reason for his arrest or make known his condition or whereabouts. After his detention, authorities closed down the vocational school he founded, forcing lay and monastic students to return home.

May 07

WHEN:

May 7th 10:00am - May 7th 11:00am


U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing

Deteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in India

Thursday, May 7, 2026 
10:00 am – 11:30 am ET
Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room 106

Hearing Transcript
Hearing Summary
 

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held an in-person hearing on religious freedom conditions in India. 

In 2026, religious freedom in the country remains on a downward trajectory, with the government tolerating particularly severe religious freedom violations. Religious minority communities, including Christians and Muslims, as well as Dalits, continue to be the target of violent attacks and harassment. Several states have strengthened or introduced new anti-conversion laws, imposing harsh penalties for those deemed to have engaged in religious conversions. The government also continues to wield anti-terrorism and citizenship laws to arbitrarily detain religious minorities and those advocating on their behalf.

Witnesses addressed the continued persecution of religious minorities in India including Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs. They examined the increasing role of transnational repression to target religious minorities beyond India’s borders. 

Opening Remarks

  • Vicky Hartzler, Chair, USCIRF 
  • Asif Mahmood, Vice Chair, USCIRF
    Written Remarks 

Congressional Remarks

Panel

  • Stephen J. Rapp, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice and former International Prosecutor at the Tribunals for Rwanda and Sierra Leone
    Written Testimony
  • Angana Chatterji, Scholar, University of California, Berkeley
    Written Testimony
  • Raqib Naik, Founder and Executive Director of Center for the Study of Organized Hate
    Written Testimony
  • Arjun Sethi, Professor at Georgetown University Law Center
    Written Testimony
  • David Curry, President, David Curry and Associates
    Written Testimony

Submitted for the Record

This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions or to schedule an interview, please email [email protected]. 
 

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