FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2006

Contact:
Angela Stephens, Assistant Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240, ext. 114

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned about misleading claims by Saudi Arabian authorities regarding the purported release of religious prisoners in the southwestern region of Najran. Saudi state media reported last week that Ismaili religious prisoners held in Najran were pardoned. Despite these reports, the Commission has learned that at least 18 Ismaili Muslim religious prisoners still remain in jail, including Hadi Al-Mutaif, who has been in prison for nearly 15 years, serving a life sentence on blasphemy charges.

Early last week, King Abdullah visited Najran, and the Ministry of Interior reported through the Saudi state media that the King had pardoned the Najran Ismaili religious prisoners, including those who were involved with protests in 2000 after Saudi authorities closed an Ismaili mosque for "practicing sorcery." However, the Commission has received reliable information that only 10 prisoners-who had served all but one year of their original sentences-were pardoned by the King and released from prison. At least 17 other Ismaili prisoners who were involved with the protests in 2000 remain in jail and continue to serve the remainder of 10-year sentences. Finally, an additional Ismaili religious prisoner who had been in prison for five years on a separate blasphemy charge was released, but not Hadi Al-Mutaif. Al-Mutaif was originally sentenced to death in 1994 for a wisecrack deemed blasphemous that he made as a teenager. In 1999, his death sentence was commuted to life in prison.

"Since 2001, the Saudi government has repeatedly made public statements promising reforms. The Commission has found that many of these claims have not resulted in specific actions, nor have they resulted in measurable improvements," said Commission Chair Felice D. Gaer. "The case of the Ismailis in Najran and Hadi al-Mutaif seems to follow this pattern."

According to the State Department's Annual Report on International Religious Freedom released in September, there were nearly 60 Ismailis in prison as a result of rioting that took place in Najran in 2000. Although many were subsequently released after serving reduced sentences, some of those that remain in prison are reportedly subject to flogging. Human rights advocates report that Ismailis, a Shi'a sect numbering some 700,000 inside Saudi Arabia, continue to suffer severe discrimination and abuse by Saudi authorities.

The Hadi Al-Mutaif case not only has broader implications for other religious prisoners inside Saudi Arabia, but also for U.S.-Saudi discussions on freedom of religion or belief. This case is significant in light of the July announcement by the State Department that the Saudi government has identified and confirmed policies that seek to improve religious practice and tolerance inside of Saudi Arabia. These policies of the Saudi government claim a willingness to improve religious freedom conditions.

"The Commission is concerned about the misleading nature of the Saudi government's claims in light of its statements that it is committed to constructive dialogue and engagement on religious freedom issues," said Gaer. "The U.S. government should use this opportunity to raise its concern about this case with senior Saudi officials and give the Saudi government a chance to release all remaining religious prisoners in Najran," said Gaer.

In September 2004, the State Department for the first time followed the Commission's recommendation and designated Saudi Arabia a "country of particular concern," or CPC, for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief. The Commission continues to recommend that Saudi Arabia remain a CPC.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2006

Contact:
Angela Stephens, Assistant Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240, ext. 114

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a bipartisan, independent federal agency, has sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urging her to maintain Vietnam as a "country of particular concern" (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The Commission also recommended that Secretary Rice raise religious freedom concerns during her upcoming visit to Vietnam.

"According to evidence available to the Commission from sources in Vietnam, severe restrictions on religious freedom and abuses continue in Vietnam in all of the areas cited by the State Department when Vietnam was designated a CPC in 2004," said Commission Chair Felice D. Gaer. While the Vietnamese government has taken some positive steps over the past year to address religious freedom concerns, Gaer said, "Religious prisoners remain confined, only a tiny fraction of the churches closed since 2001 have been re-opened, and forced renunciations of faith continue, as do restrictions on and harassment of all of Vietnam's diverse religious communities."

For example, although the Vietnamese have released prominent prisoners of concern, in the last year a dozen new arrests have been made and prominent leaders remain under house arrest. Even those recently released remain under intense government surveillance.

The Commission has also concluded that the Vietnamese government has not fully complied with the May 2005 agreement reached with the United States to improve religious freedom in Vietnam.

"The facts alone warrant redesignation. Moreover, in the Commission's view, lifting the CPC designation will remove an important and positive incentive that has stimulated U.S.-Vietnamese discussions on religious freedom," Gaer added. "Over the last year and a half, religious freedom concerns have been made a top diplomatic priority with productive results. The Vietnamese are beginning to recognize that human rights concerns will not be subsumed to economic or security interests."

The Commission also sent with the letter to Secretary Rice an attachment with recommendations for new U.S. assistance programs to support human rights and legal reforms in Vietnam.

The text of the letter to Secretary Rice follows:

Dear Secretary Rice,

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urges you to maintain Vietnam as a "country of particular concern" (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998 and to raise religious freedom concerns during your upcoming visit to Vietnam during the APEC meetings. We are sending you our findings on Vietnam pursuant to Section 402(b)(1)(B) of IRFA.

Evidence available to the Commission from sources inside Vietnam indicate that restrictions and abuses continue in all the areas cited by the State Department when Vietnam was designated a CPC in 2004. Religious prisoners remain confined, only a tiny fraction of the churches closed since 2001 have been re-opened, forced renunciations of faith continue, as do restrictions on and harassment of all of Vietnam's diverse religious communities. All these abuses occur less frequently than in the past; however, there remain severe concerns in all these areas.

Although the Vietnamese government has taken some positive steps over the past year to address religious freedom concerns, the Commission has concluded that Vietnam has not yet fully complied with the May 2005 agreement reached with the United States to address religious freedom concerns. In that agreement, Vietnam promised to implement fully its new laws on religion and release prisoners of concern, while the United States promised to "consider" removing the CPC designation. The Vietnamese have released prominent prisoners of concern, however, in the last year a dozen new arrests have been made and prominent leaders remain under house arrest. Even those recently released remain under intense government surveillance.

The May 2005 agreement also stipulated that Vietnam needed to fully implement its new laws on religion. Over the past two years, the Vietnamese government issued orders banning forced renunciations of faith and two ordinances intended to loosen restrictions on religious practice and registration. It is the Commission's view, however, that Vietnam's new laws on religion are being used to restrict and control freedom rather than protect it. For example, forced renunciations of faith continue particularly among ethnic minority Protestants and Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam (UBCV) monks and nuns. Additionally, it has come to our attention that security forces are using the new laws to detain religious leaders and deny legal status to the UBCV and some Hoa Hao Buddhists, Vietnamese Mennonites, and Hmong and Montagnard Protestants, particularly those who refuse to join the government-approved religious organizations.

Therefore, in our view, it is much too soon for the United States to conclude that Vietnam's new laws will be applied without discrimination or used to protect and advance religious freedom.

These facts alone warrant Vietnam's re-designation as a CPC. Moreover, in the Commission's view, lifting the CPC designation by you under IRFA will, in fact, remove an important and positive incentive that has stimulated U.S.-Vietnamese discussions on religious freedom. Over the last year and half, religious freedom concerns have been made a diplomatic priority with productive results. We applaud the efforts of the Department, including those of Ambassador John Hanford and Ambassador Michael Marine. The Vietnamese government recognizes that religious freedom is an important U.S. interest that cannot be avoided in bilateral relations. Despite fears to the contrary, the CPC designation has not hindered progress on economic and security interests that the United States shares with Vietnam.

Retaining the CPC designation would indicate that U.S. human rights concerns remain a priority and are critical to the scope and progress of U.S.-Vietnamese relations. In addition, it would continue to provide incentives for the Vietnamese government to address remaining U.S. concerns, to establish permanent legal protections for religious and ethnic minorities, and to promote cooperation with U.S. assistance programs that advance projects of legal reform, economic development for ethnic minorities, and capacity building for an emerging civil society.

In the past, the Commission has made many recommendations for U.S. assistance programs toward human rights, targeted economic development, and rule of law projects. We believe strategic re-prioritizing of U.S. aid toward these areas is in the interests of both countries. We have attached specific recommendations for your review.

Continued progress on religious freedom and related human rights is in the interests of both the U.S. and Vietnam. While Vietnam continues to warrant CPC designation this year, we hope that continued and intense diplomatic engagement will continue and additional positive steps can be taken that can only strengthen future relations. We urge you to maintain the CPC designation again this year and prominently discuss religious freedom concerns during your trip in November.

Sincerely,

Felice D. Gaer
Chair

Attachment:

cc: BarryF.Lowenkron, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor
JohnV.Hanford III, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
Michael Kozak, Senior Director for Democracy, Human Rights, and International Operations
Christopher R. Hill, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs

Recommendation for U.S. Foreign Assistance Programs for Vietnam
Supporting
Human Rights and Legal Reform

• Montagnard Development Program (MDP):Full and vigorous implementation of the MDP which was created last year as part of the House and Senate Foreign Operations conference report. The MDP would provide targeted humanitarian and development support to the Montagnard/ Hmong people. It would provide needed development funds for ethnic minorities whose demands for land rights and religious freedom are closely connected. This program is consistent with Vietnam's own stated goals of reducing poverty in the Central Highlands and northwest provinces and with the need for reform, transparency, and access to regions where many religious freedom abuses continue to occur.
  
• New U.S. Assistance for Civil Society and Legal Reform: Re-allocation of the funds that formerly supported the STAR (Support for Trade Acceleration Program)to new projects human rights training, civil society capacity building, and non-commercial rule of law programs in Vietnam. The Commission suggests the funds go to the creation of the Promoting Equal Rights and the Rule of Law (PEARL) program. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has said he is committed to reform, democracy and rule of law. The U.S. government should take him at his word and assist in that process.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 17, 2006

Contact:
Angela Stephens, Assistant Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240

WASHINGTON-The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal agency, today at a Capitol Hill event released its new Policy Focus on Bangladesh, which explores the country's human rights situation ahead of its next national elections in January.

As a functioning democracy with a vibrant civil society and a constitution that enshrines internationally recognized human rights, including freedom of religion or belief, Bangladesh could be a model for other emerging democracies with majority Muslim populations. "That model is in jeopardy, however, as a result of growing Islamist militancy and the failure to prosecute those responsible for violent acts carried out against Bangladeshi individuals, organizations and businesses perceived as ‘un-Islamic,'" said USCIRF Chair Felice D. Gaer.

A Commission delegation visited Bangladesh in February-March 2006, meeting with senior government officials, political leaders, human rights monitors, members of various religious communities, civil society representatives and journalists. Due to ongoing concerns that constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion continue to be threatened by the growth of religious extremism, the Commission decided in May to keep Bangladesh on its Watch List.

In the new Policy Focus, the Commission recommends a series of measures needed to ensure that Bangladesh's democratic electoral process takes place without violence, and to promote universal human rights, including religious freedom. Among these recommendations, the Commission calls on the U.S. government to urge the government of Bangladesh to make every effort to prevent violence before and after the election, including by ensuring that the caretaker government that will take over later this month has authority over the Ministry of Defense and power to instruct law enforcement bodies, and by instituting a registration process that will facilitate the enrollment of the maximum number of eligible voters before the election.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress.