Apr 9, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 9, 2020

USCIRF Outraged Over China Selection to UN Human Right Council Consultative Group

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed outrage over the selection of China for the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council Consultative Group. The Consultative Group consists of five member states tasked with screening initial applications and making recommendations for independent UN experts. China was chosen by the Asia-Pacific Regional Group on April 1, 2020, to serve for a one-year term.

“The Chinese government is one of the worst abusers of religious freedom and other human rights,” noted USCIRF Commissioner Gary Bauer. “The Chinese Communist Party should not have any influence over appointments of the UN Human Rights Council’s independent human rights experts.”

“The United Nations and the Human Rights Council are important institutions for the protection globally of international human rights,” USCIRF Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee added. “We urge the U.S. government to increase its engagement with the United Nations human rights mechanisms in order to counteract the Chinese government’s malign influence.”

In its 2019 Annual Report, USCIRF called upon the administration to use its authority under the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and the International Religious Freedom Act to impose targeted sanctions on Chinese officials responsible for severe religious freedom violations, especially Chen Quanguo, the current Communist Party Secretary of Xinjiang.

In February 2020, USCIRF released a factsheet explaining how the Chinese government’s new Regulation for Religious Groups could further restrict religious freedom.

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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] or Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected].

Additional Name(s): اردشیر فناییان

Gender: Male

Current Location: Semnan Prison, Semnan

Perpetrator: Iran

Ethnic Group: Fars

Religion or Belief: Bahá`í

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Reduced to 6 Years' Imprisonment

Sentence: Originally 10 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April/30/2019

Date of Sentencing: October//2019

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief

Nature of Charges: Banned Organization Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials

Ardeshir Fanaian

Extra Bio Info:

Ardeshir Fanaian is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

On April 30, 2019, authorities arrested Fanaian and took him to an undisclosed location after police raided his home.  He and two others were accused of “unlawful membership of an illegal group aimed at disrupting domestic security,” “participation in, formation and administration of an unlawful group intended to unsettling national security inside the country,” and “taking part in action against the Islamic Republic regime in favor of opposition groups.” He was reportedly denied access to a lawyer.

In June 2019, Fanaian's furlough request to attend his father's funeral was denied.

In October 2019, Branch 1 of the Semnan Revolutionary Court reportedly sentenced Fanaian to ten years in prison for “founding or leading an organization that aims to disrupt national security" (Art. 498) and "propaganda against the state" (Art. 500 IPC).

In December 2019, it was reported that the Appeals Court of Semnan reduced Fanaian's sentence to six years in prison.

In August 2020, Fanaian was granted a short prison furlough to marry his fiancée, Golrokh Firouzian (also spelt Golrokh Firuzeyan). 

In February 2023, it was reported that although a judge in Semnan consented to his release, the Semnan Intelligence Ministry has refused to grant permission.

It is reported that throughout his imprisonment, Fanaian has been subjected to periods of prolonged solitary confinement. 

Prior to his most recent arrest, Fanaian spent eight months in prison in the early 2010s for allegedly "proselytizing Baha’ism."

Rep. Jan Schakosky (D-IL) advocates for Fanaian as part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project.

Sources:

Apr 7, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2020

USCIRF Condemns the Stigmatization of Religious Minorities during COVID-19 Pandemic

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed its concern over reports that religious minority groups from around the world have faced discrimination because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Religious communities have been harassed and accused of bringing COVID-19 to their countries.

“COVID-19 does not discriminate based on religion or creed,” noted USCIRF Chair Tony Perkins. “Around the world, individuals of every faith and every denomination have been infected. It is time to stop scapegoating religious minorities - as we have witnessed by the Chinese Communist Party - and instead unite against this pandemic.”

In many countries, governments have failed to protect vulnerable religious communities. In particular, Muslims in India and Cambodia as well as Shi’a Muslims in Pakistan have faced increased stigmatization in recent weeks because some of the earliest patients to test positive for COVID-19 in those countries came from these communities. In addition, local authorities in South Korea have filed lawsuit against the Shincheonji Church, alleging that it undermined public health measures, even though the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated publicly that the church has cooperated with the government’s efforts.

“Governments around the world are undoubtedly busy responding to the public health crisis, but they still have an obligation to respect and protect religious freedom, especially for minority communities during and following this crisis,” USCIRF Vice Chair Gayle Manchin added.

In its 2019 Annual Report, USCIRF noted an increase in discrimination against certain religious minority groups, and recently released a factsheet about the effect of COVID-19 on religious freedom. USCIRF has called on all governments to release religious prisoners of conscience during the pandemic because of the heightened risk of infection in prisons.

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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] or Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected].

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