Congress Should Ban Lobbying by Countries that Violate FoRB

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urges the U.S. government to publicly identify and admonish foreign governments that violate religious freedom. Several USCIRF-recommended Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs) engage in lobbying, public diplomacy campaigns, and media outreach to mislead the U.S. Congress regarding their restrictions on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB).

“Every day, we hear heartbreaking stories of religious minorities suffering horrendous persecution perpetrated or tolerated by foreign governments who then distort their records in the halls of Congress,” said USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler. “The U.S. Congress should prohibit any person from receiving compensation for lobbying on behalf of foreign governments of countries that the United States has designated as CPCs.”

Last month, Nigeria’s government signed a $9.0 million contract to lobby the U.S. government after President Donald J. Trump designated it as a CPC in October 2025. Saudi Arabia continues to use public relations firms to conceal its systematic targeting and execution of Shi’a Muslims, including those who were minors when their alleged crimes occurred. In January, India hired a public relations firm to advance its interests while downplaying violent mob attacks, illegitimate arrests, and the destruction of houses of worship for Christians, Muslims, and other religious minorities. 

“Rather than working to meet their obligations under international law, CPC designated governments are trying to misconstrue religious freedom violations in their countries,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Asif Mahmood. “Congress should introduce legislation that sufficiently restricts the efforts of foreign, CPC designated governments to pay lobbyists to conceal their particularly severe religious persecution.”

The full list of CPC, SWL, and EPC recommendations are made in USCIRF’s 2025 Annual Report. All previous USCIRF annual reports, including the latest version, can be found here. 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on 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].

Religious Minorities in India Suffer Escalating Attacks

Washington D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) calls on the U.S. government to urge Indian officials to hold perpetrators of targeted violence accountable for attacks against religious minorities. Over the past couple of months, violent attacks by Hindu nationalist mobs targeting Christians  have escalated. 

“The month of January alone has witnessed a spate of horrible attacks against Christians,” said Chair Vicky Hartzler. “We are particularly concerned by the report of a Hindu mob beating Pastor Bipin Bihari Naik in Odisha as he was conducting Sunday prayers inside a house. The mob accused him of conducting forced conversions, dragged him outside and forced him to eat cow dung. Such attacks further justify USCIRF’s call for the U.S. Department of State to designate India a CPC.”

Recent attacks and harassment against Christian pastors only add to increasing levels of destruction, harassment, and vandalism targeting religious minorities across India. In addition to the January attack against Pastor Naik, a Hindu nationalist mob demolished the homes of four Christian families in Maharashtra after they refused to renounce their faith. The same month, Hindu nationalists attacked a minibus of Evangelical Christians in Andhra Pradesh, setting fire to the vehicle and beating passengers with cricket bats and stones. In February, another Hindu mob in Chhattisgarh set fire to half a dozen Muslim homes after accusing a man of desecrating a Hindu temple.

“Vigilante mobs have repeatedly wielded allegations of forced conversion to justify the arbitrary detention and horrific attacks against religious minorities,” said Vice Chair Asif Mahmood. “Several Indian states have now strengthened anti-conversion laws by lowering the evidence standards needed to accuse an individual of forced religious conversions, as demonstrated by the recent arrest of 12 Muslim men in Uttar Pradesh simply for praying inside a private home. In some states, those falsely accused could face life sentences—an egregious violation of religious freedom.”

In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. In November 2025, USCIRF released an issue update on systematic religious persecution in India. In January, USCIRF held a hearing on violations of freedom of religion or belief faced by Christians.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on 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].