FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2018

U.S. Delegation Is First Ever to Meet with “Religious Police” in Saudi Arabia

USCIRF Delegation Holds Wide Ranging Meetings During Site Visit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a trip last week to Saudi Arabia, Commissioners Johnnie Moore and Nadine Maenza of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) met with government officials and had the first meeting ever granted between the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (the “Religious Police”) and a U.S. delegation.  

“It was an excellent visit. No one was unavailable to meet with us, no topics were off-limits,” said Commissioner Moore. “We found the Saudis willing to engage directly on any issue. It was a very productive visit, marked by important discussions. The momentum of change in the country is absolutely undeniable, but, of course, there’s much in need of change.”

Commissioners Moore and Maenza met with officials from several ministries and had constructive dialogue on religious coexistence and reforms in Saudi Arabia.

During the meeting with the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV), the CPVPV leadership disclosed that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had compelled it to reassess its approach and reform most of its intrusive practices as part of the Saudi Vision 2030 plan announced in 2016 whose stated aims included making the Kingdom “a tolerant country with Islam as its constitution and moderation as its method.” 

“I am encouraged by the opening that is being seen in the capital of Riyadh,” said Commissioner Maenza. “I saw women driving, some guardianship rules being rolled back, and women and men increasingly mixing in public venues, including at a Cirque du Soleil concert in Riyadh. The question we continue to assess is whether this opening is extending to other parts of the country and the degree to which these reforms are impacting freedom of religion or belief in a country that still—for instance—officially bans public worship unless it is the state-sanctioned practice of Islam. We look forward to following up on specific questions related to the rights of minorities, including the Shi’a community and certain individuals deemed by USCIRF to be prisoners of conscience.”

The USCIRF delegation discussed in detail with members of the Shura Council, Saudi Arabia’s formal advisory body appointed by the King, USCIRF’s 2018 Annual Report chapter on Saudi Arabia, in which USCIRF continued its long standing recommendation that Saudi Arabia be designated a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. The Department of State has designated Saudi Arabia a CPC since 2004.

USCIRF’s visit was partly intended to collect information for its 2019 Annual Report. 

Commissioners Moore and Maenza met with the following Saudi government ministries and affiliated government entities: Ministry of Defense – Ideological Warfare Center; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Information; Ministry of Islamic Affairs; Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice; King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue; King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz General Education Development Project (Tatweer); Members of the Saudi Shura Council; Center for International Communication; and the Global Center for Combating Extremist Ideology (Etidal).

The delegation also met with representatives of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation, its affiliated Fiqh Academy, and a range of non-governmental interlocutors.

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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 Javier Peña at [email protected]or +1-202-674-2598.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 26, 2018

Vice Chair Arriaga Adopts Two Religious Prisoners of Conscience

Vice Chair Arriaga said, “These two cases are examples of the Russian government ‘securitizing’ religion—targeting religious communities it considers illegitimate on the pretext that they pose a national security threat”

WASHINGTON, DC – Kristina Arriaga, Vice Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), today announced that she is adopting two religious prisoners of conscience in Russia, Dennis Christensen and Ivan Matsitsky, as part of USCIRF’s Prisoners of Conscience Project. Mr. Christensen, a member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, was arrested in Oryol, Russia, on May 25, 2017, following the raid of a prayer service in which he was participating. As of September 13, 2018, Mr. Christensen has appeared 38 times before Oryol’s District Court. He faces a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison. Mr. Matsitsky, the director of the Church of Scientology in St. Petersburg, was arrested on June 5, 2017, on various charges including involvement in “an extremist conspiracy.” He has been held in pretrial detention since his arrest.

“The cases of Dennis Christensen and Ivan Matsitsky are emblematic of the Russian government’s complete disregard for religious freedom,” stated Vice Chair Arriaga. “I am committed to doing all I can to raise awareness of Ivan’s and Dennis’ cases and secure their speedy release.”

The government of Russia considers groups such as Jehovah’s Witnesses and Scientologists “nontraditional” religious minorities, frequently targeting them with fines, detentions, and criminal charges under the pretext of combating extremism. In April 2017, the Russian Supreme Court banned the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an extremist organization.

Vice Chair Arriaga added, “These two cases are examples of the Russian government ‘securitizing’ religion—targeting religious communities it considers illegitimate on the pretext that they pose a national security threat. But these religious communities only seek to practice their beliefs peacefully and without fear. When they arrested Dennis, he was reading the Bible with fellow believers. The international community must uphold internationally recognized human rights and press for the release of Ivan, Dennis, and the many others imprisoned in Russia for their religious identity or activities.”

In 2018 USCIRF again recommended that Russia be designated as a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). To learn more about religious freedom conditions in Russia, click here.

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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 Javier Peña at [email protected] or +1-202-674-2598.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 11, 2018

USCIRF Statement on Frank Wolf as He Leaves the 21^st Century Wilberforce Initiative

Congressman Frank Wolf has been an inspiration to all who work to promote international religious freedom around the globe. Through decades of distinguished public service and following his retirement from Congress after serving there for 34 years, Mr. Wolf has been indefatigable in his advocacy of the oppressed and downtrodden. He was instrumental in the passage of the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), which made religious freedom a United States foreign policy priority and established the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). In recognition of his role on this issue, Congress passed the 2016 Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act. The important advocacy work done by the 21^st Century Wilberforce Initiative, which Congressman Wolf joined immediately upon retiring from Congress, is a testament to his commitment to defending the rights and dignity of all.

USCIRF recently recognized the contributions of Congressman Wolf at its reception celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the passage of IRFA held during the Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. USCIRF looks forward to continuing to work with Congressman Frank Wolf to promote human rights and religious freedom for many years to come.

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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 Javier Peña at [email protected] or +1-202-674-2598.