FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2019
 

USCIRF Vice Chair Nadine Maenza Calls for Release of Imprisoned Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi

His Continued Imprisonment Belies Saudi Government Claims of Greater Religious Freedom

WASHINGTON, DC – Nadine Maenza, Vice Chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), today called on Saudi authorities to drop all charges against and release religious prisoner of conscience Raif Badawi. Mr. Badawi was first arrested in June 2012. Six years ago this week, in July 2013, a Saudi court sentenced Mr. Badawi to 600 lashes and seven years in prison for insulting Islam and breaking the anti-cybercrime law through his website Free Saudi Liberals. In May 2014, the sentenced was increased to 1,000 lashes, ten years in prison, and a fine of one million riyal.

“Saudi Arabia’s persecution of Raif Badawi for peacefully expressing his beliefs is an egregious violation of his religious freedom,” said Vice Chair Maenza, who adopted Raif Badawi in 2018 as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project. “For seven years, the Saudi government has kept Raif away from his spouse and children. His public lashing and prolonged detention for peaceful speech directly contradict the Saudi government’s official narrative of working toward greater modernization and improving religious freedom conditions.”

Raif Badawi is a blogger and human rights activist for whom USCIRF has advocated for years, including in its 2019 Saudi Annual Report chapter. During the 2019 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom, Vice President Michael R. Pence called for Raif Badawi’s release. However, the State Department maintains a waiver for Saudi Arabia, rather than imposing the sanctions to which it would otherwise be subject as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.  

###
 

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 Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2019

USCIRF Statement on Introduction of House Resolution 512 on Blasphemy

WASHINGTON, DC - In response to the introduction this week by Representatives Jamie Raskin (D-MD-08) and Mark Meadows (R-NC-11) of House Resolution 512 on blasphemy, heresy and apostasy laws, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Chair Tony Perkins and Vice Chair Gayle Manchin issued the following statements:

“We applaud Representatives Raskin and Meadows for advocating for the repeal of these laws, which still exist in at least 70 countries around the world. Blasphemy laws, as is noted in the resolution, lead to religious intolerance, discrimination and violence. Charges can be based on false accusations and are often brought for sectarian or political purposes,” said Perkins. “Such laws are weaponized to target marginalized religious communities.”

“Widespread bipartisan support for this resolution will help to raise awareness of the egregious acts of persecution and violence that these laws legitimize.  We echo the resolution’s call for all prisoners held on blasphemy, heresy, or apostasy charges to be released,” said Manchin.  

USCIRF currently includes in its Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project several individuals who have been imprisoned on blasphemy or other similar charges. The Commission issued a Legislation Factsheet on Blasphemy and a comprehensive report on blasphemy laws called Respecting Rights? Measuring the World’s Blasphemy Laws.

###

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 Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2019

USCIRF Statement on the 2^nd Annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom
 

WASHINGTON, DC — The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends the Trump Administration, particularly Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo, Ambassador-at-Large Samuel D. Brownback, and the Office of International Religious Freedom, for convening more than 1,000 civil society representatives and government officials from over 100 countries for the 2^nd Annual Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom on July 16-18, 2019. 

“By giving voice to victims of persecution and oppression, the Ministerial raised awareness of grave violations of religious freedom throughout the world and the urgent need for advocacy and action by governments that value this foundational human right,” said USCIRF Chair Tony Perkins.     

“USCIRF welcomed the participation at the Ministerial of Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, reflecting the strong bipartisan support in America for promoting international religious freedom,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Gayle Manchin.

Various country delegations co-signed nine Statements of Concern, including a Statement on Protecting Places of Worship, which was one of USCIRF’s key recommendations in its 2019 Annual Report.

Additional USCIRF recommendations that were adopted during this year’s Ministerial include:

• The Treasury Department designated two Iraqi nationals who are leaders of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) militias for Global Magnitsky sanctions for targeting religious and ethnic minorities in northern Iraq.  These sanctions block them from accessing any assets they may own in the United States and bar U.S. citizens from doing business with them.
   
• The State Department designated four Burmese military leaders as responsible for gross human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims, including extrajudicial killings within Burma’s Rakhine State.  This designation bans them and their immediate families from travelling to the United States.
   
• Vice President Michael R. Pence called for the release of four religious prisoners of conscience, including two who are part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience (RPOC) Project: Raif Badawi, imprisoned on charges of blasphemy in Saudi Arabia, and Patriarch Abune Antonios, imprisoned in Eritrea for resisting government control of the Eritrean Orthodox Church. The Statement of Concern on Iran called for the release of another prisoner in USCIRF’s RPOC Project, Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani.

Appearing at the Ministerial were two former USCIRF Religious Prisoners of Conscience, whose releases USCIRF worked with the State Department to secure: Pastor Andrew Brunson, who had been held for over two years in Turkey; and Abdul Shakoor, who had been imprisoned in Pakistan for four years.

USCIRF continues to be encouraged by the Trump Administration’s commitment to promoting the right of all people to freedom of religion or belief.

###

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 Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.