On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck joins Senior Strategic Advisor Elizabeth Cassidy to reflect on his trip to the United Kingdom. Marked by a special relationship, the United States, and the United Kingdom, aim to place a special focus on international religious freedom. Chair Schneck discusses USCIRF’s key engagements held with government and civil society actors and highlights the UK’s leadership role in the space.

Read USCIRF’s 2024 Annual Report

USCIRF Abhors Recent Spate of Egregious Religious Freedom Violations in Iran

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the persistent egregious violations of religious freedom in Iran. This month, Iranian authorities executed a 20-year-old Jewish man, Arvin Ghahremani. He was sentenced to death after reportedly killing a Muslim man in self-defense. His irregular judicial proceedings and denial of alternate recompense were both rooted in his identity as a Jew.

“Arvin Ghahremani’s execution is an egregious violation of religious freedom demonstrating the precarious status of Jews in Iran despite their official recognition as a community,” said USCIRF Commissioner Susie Gelman. “The Biden administration should fully implement the bipartisan MAHSA Act that imposes targeted sanctions on top Iranian officials and key entities responsible for human rights abuses such as violations of freedom of religion or belief.”

There has also been a general uptick of religious freedom violations in Iran. Last week, Iranian authorities assaulted and violently arrested Ahoo Daryaei, a young female student at Tehran’s Azad University, after she removed her clothing down to her undergarments in protest of Iran’s mandatory hijab laws. Additionally, Iran continues to deny medical care to religious freedom advocate and Nobel Laureate Narges Mohammadi. It has recently shuttered three Baha’i businesses and continues a spate of mass arrests of Baha’is on the basis of their religious identity.

“The Iranian regime continues to violently arrest individuals peacefully protesting and advocating for their religious freedom, such as Arhoo Daryaei, and baselessly accuses protestors of being mentally ill. Arhoo Daryaei is yet another example of Iran’s complete disregard for freedom of religion or belief for all,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Eric Ueland. “The U.S. government should join U.N. Special Rapporteur on Iran Mai Sato in drawing international attention to Daryaei’s arrest and call for her immediate and unconditional release.”

USCIRF has previously called on the U.S. government to hold Iran accountable for its religious freedom violations. In April, USCIRF condemned the Iranian government’s increased crackdown on women and girls for “defying” the country’s mandatory hijab laws. In 2023, USCIRF reported on the regime’s use of medical mistreatment against prisoners detained on the basis of their religious beliefs and the government’s systematic use of sexual and gender based violence (SGBV) against religious prisoners of conscience that in many cases resulted in hospitalization. In its 2024 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended the State Department designate Iran a “Country of Particular Concern” for systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations and urged the U.S. government to support the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran.

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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 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].