FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2005

Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240  

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed concern that the deadline has passed for the United States to take action on the designation of Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Eritrea as "countries of particular concern" (CPCs) for their systematic and egregious religious freedom violations.

In September 2004 the State Department designated these three countries for the first time as CPCs, which followed the Commission's own recommendations. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) requires that the President not only name those countries that are the most egregious violators of religious freedom, but also take specific policy actions within 90 days.

The statute also allows for a 90 day extension. When the extension deadline was up on March 15, a State Department spokesman explained at a press briefing that they had asked Congress for "a little extra time," noting there had been "real engagement" with Saudi Arabia. The United States is now one month beyond the statutory deadline.

The bipartisan USCIRF has seen no evidence of specific progress on the ground in Saudi Arabia on freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief. Last month, the Saudi government's announcement of a national campaign against extremism designed to educate Saudis about the importance of tolerance and moderation was followed by the destruction of a Hindu temple by the religious police. In Vietnam, the government continues to harass, detain, imprison, and discriminate against leaders and practitioners of all religious communities. In Eritrea, the government continues to ban the activities of all unregistered religious groups and closed their places of worship.

"These persistent delays in the process serve only to signal that the United States does not take seriously IRFA's stated-and mandated-commitments to promote religious freedom and other human rights throughout the world," said USCIRF Chair Preeta D. Bansal. "The Commission believes it is time for the United States to act and not waive this obligation."

The Commission recommended specific actions in a February 7 letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

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
April 15, 2005

Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240 

WASHINGTON - U.S. Commission on International Religious freedom (USCIRF) Vice Chair Felice D. Gaer and Commissioner Michael Cromartie recently presented the preliminary findings from the Commission's North Korea study at a luncheon hosted in USCIRF's honor by the U.S. Mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Commissioners were joined by David Hawk, who is the Commission's Project Manager for its North Korea study. Attendees included U.S. Ambassador Kevin Moley, Senator Rudy Boschwitz, head of the U.S. delegation to the UN Commission on Human Rights, Ambassadors from 29 countries, and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour. The study is interviewing North Korean refugees and escapees about the conditions of freedom of religion or belief in North Korea and the actions of the North Korean government to suppress or replace religious belief or practice. The final report is expected in summer 2005.

While in Geneva, Commissioners also discussed with U.S. and foreign officials USCIRF's findings on severe violations of human rights, including freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief, in such countries as Belarus, Cuba, Turkmenistan, Sudan, Uzbekistan, and Iran.

Commissioners also met with Acting High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Wendy Chamberlin and her senior staff. They discussed ways to provide protection for North Korean refugees in China and Montagnard refugees in Cambodia. In addition, USCIRF met with the Special Rapporteur for North Korea Vitit Muntabhorn and cited the need to address freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief more amply in his next report.

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
April 13, 2005

Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240 (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

WASHINGTON - U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Preeta D. Bansal participated recently in a working session of Iraqi civil society in Amman, Jordan that brought together a diverse group of leaders to discuss issues related to the drafting of Iraq's permanent constitution. Iraq's interim constitution, the Transitional Administrative Law (TAL), requires the permanent constitution to be drafted and finalized after consultation with civil society.

"The session provided an important opportunity for influential leaders from Iraq's NGO, academic, religious and business communities to explore central constitutional questions, including gender equality, federalism, and the role of religion in Iraq's new constitution," said USCIRF Chair Preeta D. Bansal.

Commissioner Bansal presented participants with the findings of a recent USCIRF study on the role of religion in the constitutions of predominantly Muslim countries. She underscored the variety of constitutional models in existence in the Muslim world, the wide range of possible constitutional roles ascribed to Islam, and the fundamental standards associated with freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief under international human rights law. Following her presentation, participants had a discussion about the potential role of Islam in the permanent constitution and the need to ensure that the constitution represents all segments of Iraqi society. The working session was convened under the auspices of the American Bar Association's ( ABA) Iraq Legal Development Program.

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.