U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

USCIRF Conversation: Rising Authoritarianism in ASEAN Member States

Wednesday, March 8, 2023
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Virtual Event

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted a virtual event discussing the intersection between international religious freedom and rising authoritarianism in the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The world is witnessing what many refer to as a rise of authoritarianism and anti-democratic forces. This trend is clearly evident in Southeast Asia, which has experienced in the last decade diminishing civic space and disastrous military coups. Even among the democratic countries of the region, an increasing number of political actors have turned to ethno-religious sentiments in pursuit of electoral politics, promising to reshape legal systems to cater to their own communities at the expense of others. USCIRF has long expressed concern over the impact of this trend, particularly as authoritarian regimes control the majority of countries included in its Annual Report each year. This virtual conversation focused on this troubling phenomenon and its effect on the unique religious freedom contexts of Southeast Asia, especially in Indonesia and Malaysia.

USCIRF Commissioners David Curry and Stephen Schneck joined guest panelists Hisham Muhaimi and Dan Slater. Commissioner Schneck recently returned from a USCIRF delegation to Indonesia and Malaysia. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt moderated the conversation, followed by questions and answers from attendees. 

Panelists

• David Curry, Commissioner, USCIRF
• Stephen Schneck, Commissioner, USCIRF
• Hisham Muhaimi, Project Coordinator, Initiative to Promote Tolerance and Prevent Violence, Komuniti Muslim Universal  
• Dan Slater, John Orin Murfin Professor of Political Science at the University of Michigan; Ronald and Eileen Weiser Professor of Emerging Democracies; Director, Weiser Center for Emerging Democracies

Moderator

• Patrick Greenwalt, Policy Analyst, USCIRF

This virtual event is open to the public and media. The video recording will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact [email protected].