Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Date of Detainment: August/10/2024
Date of Release: August/17/2024
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Association Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Leonel Balmaceda
Extra Bio Info:
Leonel Balmaceda was detained for his affiliation with the Catholic Church and his religious leadership role.
On August 10, 2024, authorities arrested Balmaceda, parish priest of the Jesús de Caridad parish in La Trinidad, Estelí. Balmaceda's arrest came amid a crackdown on the Catholic Church in Nicaragua.
On August, 17, 2024, the authorities exiled Balmaceda to the Vatican.
Related cases: Denis Martínez García
Publicly Available Information:
- "Dictatorship in Nicaragua arrests two more priests and two laywomen" Catholic News Agency
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Date of Detainment: August/15/2024
Date of Release: August/17/2024
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Association Religious Belief Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Danny Garcia
Extra Bio Info:
Danny Garcia was detained for his affiliation with the Catholic Church and his religious leadership role.
On August 15, 2024, authorities arrested Garcia, a priest of the San Juan Bautista parish in Muy Muy. Garcia's arrest came amid a crackdown on the Catholic Church in Nicaragua.
On August 17, 2024, the authorities released Garcia.
Publicly Available Information:
Aug 29
Aug 29th 10:30am
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing
Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for Religious Freedom in Pakistan
Thursday, August 29, 2024
10:30 AM-12 PM ET
Virtual
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing on religious freedom conditions in Pakistan and policy options for the U.S. government.
In 2024, religious freedom conditions in Pakistan continue to decline. Religious minorities are frequently subjected to lengthy prison sentences or solitary confinement under the country’s draconian blasphemy law. Increasing instances of blasphemy accusations have contributed to waves of mob violence that disproportionately impact religious minority communities, resulting in lynchings and damaged places of worship. Members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community continue to face harassment and arbitrary arrest, and Hindu, Christian, and Sikh women and girls remain particularly vulnerable to kidnappings and forced conversion.
In its 2024 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the State Department again designate Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. Witnesses discussed the Pakistani government’s legal framework, including blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiyya laws, and laws pertaining to forced conversion. They also examined the U.S.-Pakistan bilateral relationship and discuss opportunities for U.S. engagement and current programming efforts to advance religious freedom.
Opening Remarks
- Stephen Schneck, Chair, USCIRF
- Eric Ueland, Vice Chair, USCIRF
- Asif Mahmood, Commissioner, USCIRF
Written Remarks
Panel I
- Änjali Kaur, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Asia Bureau, USAID
Panel II
- Peter Jacob, Director, Centre for Social Justice
Written Testimony - Asif Aqeel, Founding Director, Center for Law & Justice
Written Testimony - Amjad Mahmood Khan, Adjunct Professor, UCLA School of Law; National Secretary for Public Affairs, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA
Written Testimony
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].