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October 30, 2013 | By Robert P. George

The following op-ed appeared in The Hill on October 30, 2013.

This past Sunday, the United States commemorated International Religious Freedom Day, marking the 15th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA).

IRFA created an international religious freedom office in the U.S. State Department, headed by an ambassador-at-large, and the independent, bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which I chair. Since its inception, USCIRF has monitored religious freedom worldwide and made policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress in response to governments that violate this fundamental right.

The law also advocates strong and consistent U.S. participation in multilateral organizations such as the United Nations as a vital way to advance religious freedom and shine the spotlight on violators.

How can the United States use the UN as a platform to support this bedrock liberty?

One way is through its participation in the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), including the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process through which the human rights performance of every UN member state is assessed. USCIRF urges the United States to hold members accountable to internationally-recognized religious freedom standards. Such a stance is particularly important regarding nations that USCIRF has recommended under IRFA as "countries of particular concern,” or CPCs, marking them as the world's worst religious freedom abusers. The U.S. government also should seek to highlight religious freedom concerns through country-specific resolutions in both the HRC and the General Assembly.

The United States should continue its firm, unequivocal support for the UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief. The Special Rapporteur-currently Professor Heiner Bielefeldt of Germany-monitors freedom of religion or belief worldwide, communicates with governments about alleged violations, conducts country visits, and brings religious freedom concerns to the UN and public attention through reports and statements. Further, the United States should seek the appointment or continuation of country-specific Special Rapporteurs for religious freedom violators, particularly CPC nations.

Finally, the United States should continue its vigorous opposition to efforts at the UN to restrict speech deemed religiously offensive or controversial. For more than a decade, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), with its annual resolutions focusing on "combating defamation of religions,” had made the HRC and General Assembly centers of activity to establish a global blasphemy law violating freedom of religion and expression. Along with members of Congress, the State Department, and key nongovernmental organizations, USCIRF helped bring about a marked decrease between 2008 and 2010 in support for these flawed resolutions. As a result, in 2011 and 2012 both UN bodies adopted consensus resolutions which rightly focus on protecting individuals from discrimination or violence rather than shielding religions from criticism; protect the adherents of all religions or beliefs, instead of favoring one over others; and call for positive measures like education and outreach instead of legal restrictions on peaceful expression. The new resolutions support criminalization only in the case of incitement to imminent violence.

USCIRF welcomes this new approach but remains concerned that OIC members have not abandoned their global anti-blasphemy efforts. OIC member states continue to enforce repressive domestic blasphemy laws, and their leaders still refer publicly to the defamation-of-religions concept and call for laws against defamation.

The United States and other UN member states must remain vigilant against any efforts to erode the language of the new resolutions or to use other means to move toward global anti-blasphemy laws.

In enacting IRFA fifteen years ago, Congress and the President recognized that religious freedom matters. It is an integral part of our history and identity as a free nation, a key human right recognized by international law and treaty, a core component of our commitment to defend democracy globally, and a necessary element of our national security and our determination to ensure a more peaceful, prosperous, and stable world. In the aftermath of International Religious Freedom Day, let us rededicate our efforts, at the UN and elsewhere, on behalf of this pivotal liberty.

George is chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact Kalinda Stephenson at 202-786-0613 or [email protected].

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October 18, 2013| USCIRF

During his October 23 White House meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, USCIRF urges President Obama to raise concerns about the dire religious freedom situation in Pakistan, with both Muslims and religious minorities consistently confronting violence or jail.

"Based on USCIRF findings, Pakistan represents one of the worst situations in the world for religious freedom,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert George. "The September attack on All Saints Church that killed close to 100 worshippers underscores Pakistan's exceedingly poor religious freedom situation. The violence extremists perpetuate threatens all Pakistanis, including Shi'as, Christians, Ahmadis, and Hindus, as well as those members of the Sunni majority who dare to challenge extremists.”

"Given that President Obama and Prime Minister Sharif reportedly will be discussing how best to counter violent extremism, we urge the U.S. to incorporate concern about freedom of religion into these conversations,” said Chairman George. "To successfully counter violent extremism, Pakistan must have a holistic approach that both ensures that perpetrators of violence are jailed and addresses laws that foster vigilante violence, such as the blasphemy law and anti-Ahmadi laws. For the sake of his country, the Prime Minister should be pressed to take concrete action.”

USCIRF's 2013 Annual Report highlighted the dire state of religious freedom in Pakistan and that growing religious extremism threatens Pakistan's security and stability, as well as the freedoms of religion and expression and other human rights. Notwithstanding this alarming situation, the U.S. government has not designated Pakistan as a "country of particular concern.” USCIRF's Religious Violence Project found that religious freedom violations in Pakistan have risen to unprecedented levels, and the government continues to fail to protect Christians, Shi'a, Ahmadis, and Hindus. In addition, approximately 40 individuals are on death row or serving life sentences for allegedly blasphemous conduct, a statistic unmatched anywhere else in the world.

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact Kalinda Stephenson at 202-786-0613 or [email protected].

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October 4, 2013 | By Robert P. George

The following op-ed appeared in CNN World on October 4, 2013.

Editor's note: Robert P. George is the chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The views expressed are his own.

As Nigeria considers its future following this week's celebration of its 53rd anniversary of independence, its leaders must confront a real and perhaps growing threat to the nation's stability - Boko Haram. The radical Islamist group, whose name literally means "western education is a sin,” regards Nigeria's federal and northern state governments, as well as the country's political and religious elites, as morally corrupt. It rejects the West and secular democracy and seeks to implement its "pure” version of Shariah law. But overcoming the Boko Haram challenge will take more than a military response - it also requires an approach that addresses Nigeria's tolerance of long-running sectarian violence, protects religious freedom and enforces rule of law.

For the past two years, Boko Haram has been the primary perpetrator of religious-related violence and gross religious freedom violations in Nigeria. In August of this year, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which I chair, issued a report highlighting the recent toll of Boko Haram's targeted assaults on religious institutions and leaders. The numbers are troubling.

Read more .

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact Kalinda Stephenson at 202-786-0613 or [email protected].