FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

USCIRF Condemns Attack on a Mosque in Burkina Faso

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned the recent attack on a mosque in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

“Last week’s attack on a mosque in Burkina Faso is absolutely reprehensible,” said USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin. “An attack on any house of worship is an attack on religious freedom writ large.”

Last Friday, an unknown assailant threw a flammable bottle into a mosque in the capital city of the west African nation, reportedly wounding six people. Witnesses to the event reported that a note left on the ground nearby the attack read: “Close the mosque or we’ll launch grenades at you.” Anti-Islamic sentiment appears to be rising in Burkina Faso as the country battles a growing threat from jihadist-linked insurgents among other vigilante armed groups. An investigation is ongoing.

“The growing anti-Muslim sentiment in Burkina Faso, brought on by the spread of jihad in the northern part of the country, is extremely concerning,” added USCIRF Vice Chair Tony Perkins. “The U.S. government should support the Burkinabe government and civil society working to foster peaceful, interfaith cooperation to combat this worrying trend.”

Last month, USCIRF published a factsheet on Attacks on Houses of Worship and Religious Leaders in Burkina Faso. In October 2019, USCIRF published a report on Protecting Places of Worship and Holy Sites.

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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].

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2020

USCIRF Releases New Report about Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses

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

“The Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses” Issue Update—This update describes official discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, with a particular focus on countries where members have been imprisoned for their beliefs. These include countries that USCIRF recommended in its 2020 Annual Report for designation as countries of particular concern, such as Eritrea, Russia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan; countries USCIRF recommended for the Special Watch List, including Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan; as well as South Korea and Singapore. The report also makes recommendations for U.S. policy.

USCIRF documents imprisoned Jehovah’s Witnesses on its Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List, and Chair Gayle Manchin advocates for Jehovah’s Witness prisoner Dennis Christensen, imprisoned in Russia, as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience project.

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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].