Advocacy:
Press Release: USCIRF Condemns Chinese Government’s Sanction on Former Commissioner, May 27, 2021Event: FoRB Victims List and Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project Update, February 25, 2021
Press Release: USCIRF Commissioner Johnnie Moore Adopts Jimmy Lai through the Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project, December 16, 2020
Country:
ChinaKey Fact:
Lai has attracted the ire of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for his political activism and his outspoken criticism of the Chinese government’s human rights abuses, including religious freedom.
Charges:
Alleged collusion with foreign powers under the new national security law, fraud, unauthorized assembly
Sentence:
2 Years, 9 Months
Detained Since:
Dec 12, 2020
Biography:
Jimmy Lai escaped communist China to Hong Kong at the age of 12. Despite his UK citizenship, he chose to remain in Hong Kong to advocate against the encroachment of the Chinese communist government on Hong Kong’s freedoms. Lai has been outspoken about his Catholic faith, serving as a tireless advocate for the religious freedom of Catholic churches in China and openly expressing concern over the future of religious freedom in Hong Kong. He has also called on the Vatican to exercise its moral authority in its relationship with the Chinese government.
Lai has attracted the ire of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments for his political activism and his outspoken criticism of the Chinese government’s human rights abuses, including religious freedom.
On August 10, 2020, Lai was arrested at his home in Hong Kong for alleged collusion with foreign powers under the new national security law, as well as fraud. On December 2, the Hong Kong police arrested Lai again for fraud and subsequently denied him bail. On December 11, Hong Kong authorities charged Lai under the National Security Act with colluding with foreign powers, making him the first high-profile figure to be charged under the new national security law. He was arrested again while in prison on February 17, 2021, allegedly for helping 12 fugitives in their failed attempt to escape Hong Kong for Taiwan. A conviction in the ongoing National Security case could result in a sentence of life in prison.
On May 28, 2021 , Lai was sentenced to 14 months in prison on top of the six months he had already served for his involvement in an unauthorized assembly on October 1, 2019, during Hong Kong’s pro-democracy rallies.
On December 9, 2021, Lai was convicted for "unauthorized assembly" for participating in a Tiananmen Square vigil on June 4, 2020. On December 13, 2021, Lai was sentenced to an additional 13 months in prison.
Dec 16, 2020
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Nigeria
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on religious freedom conditions in Nigeria:
Nigeria Country Update – This country update examines religious freedom conditions in Nigeria, which remained poor in 2020. Ongoing state violations include harsh convictions for blasphemy, and discrimination against religious minorities. Non-state actors have been responsible for abductions and executions of individuals based on their religious affiliation, as well as attacks on houses of worship and religious ceremonies. The report provides background demographic and political context, explores Nigeria’s legal framework as it pertains to religious freedom, highlights the impact of religiosity across the country, examines recent incidents of violations of religious freedom committed by state and nonstate actors, and concludes with recommendations for U.S. policy.
In its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S State Department designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its ongoing, systematic, and egregious religious freedom violations. Earlier this month, the State Department designated Nigeria as a CPC for the first time ever.
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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].
Dec 15, 2020
Several religious groups, including followers of Judaism and Islam, mandate that animals are uninjured (unstunned) prior to killing. However, nearly a third of European countries limit this practice through ritual slaughter laws.
Ritual slaughter is required for meat to be classified as kosher or halal. Therefore, laws preventing ritual slaughter cause individuals to abandon deeply held religious practices and imply a message of exclusion to all those who seek to follow their religion’s dietary laws.
During the Hanukkah season, USCIRF highlights the impact that ritual slaughter laws have on religious communities in select countries, such as those where it is necessary to import kosher meat.
Featuring:
Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
Zachary Udin, Researcher, USCIRF