Oct 19, 2022
USCIRF Releases New Report on Blasphemy in Southeast Asia
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Blasphemy and Related Laws in ASEAN Member Countries – This report reviews blasphemy laws and their enforcement within the region of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), highlighting recent cases and providing analysis on related laws. Blasphemy is defined as “the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or sacred things.” In particular, blasphemy laws remain an ongoing religious freedom violation in Indonesia and Malaysia as well a potent tool for authoritarian and right-wing forces in Burma and Thailand. While many such laws are a legacy of colonialism, some countries in the region have expanded their legal restrictions in the subsequent decades since independence.
USCIRF has monitored religious freedom conditions in several Southeast Asian countries discussed in this report. In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Burma as a Country of Particular Concern and place Malaysia and Indonesia on its Special Watch List. In 2020, USCIRF released a report on the global enforcement of blasphemy laws titled “Violating Rights: Enforcing the World’s Blasphemy Laws.”
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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 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].
Additional Name(s): Deoria Jail
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: India
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Unspecified/Other
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Date of Detainment: June/11/2022
Current Status: Not Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Protesting Religious Freedom Conditions Religious Identity
Nature of Charges: Unknown
Javed Mohammed
Extra Bio Info:
Javed Mohammed is detained for his religious expression and religious freedom advocacy.
In June 2022, police in Uttar Pradesh arrested Mohammed, a well-known Muslim activist, after accusing him of organizing violent protests against a Bharatiya Janata Party official who made comments perceived to be insulting to Islam. Mohammed had also been critical of the religiously discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act. Authorities briefly detained Mohammed's wife and kids before demolishing their home the next day.
Publicly Available Information:
- "Prayagraj violence: Activist Javed Mohammed granted bail by Allahabad High Court" Scroll.in
- USCIRF Country Update: Religious Freedom Conditions in India November 2022
- "Jailed For Being The ‘Mastermind’ Of Prayagraj Violence, Muslim Activist Was Known For Keeping The Peace" Article 14
- “Lack Of Evidence In Cases Against Prayagraj Activists For June Violence, All Involved In Anti-Govt Dissent” Article 14
- “Jailed Or Punished, With Or Without Trial: How The State Misuses The Law Against India’s Inconvenient Citizens” Article 14
- “Prayagraj violence: National Security Act invoked against activist Javed Mohammed” Scroll.in
- “Amidst Official Silence, Allahabad Activist Javed Mohammad's Family Discover He Is in Deoria Jail” The Wire
- “Prayagraj Accused Javed Mohammed Has Stood for Peace, Worked Closely With Admin” The Quint
- “‘It Could Happen To Any Muslim Family’: A Student Activist On Her Father’s Arrest & Demolition Of Her Home” Article 14
- “UP Police Arrests Javed Mohammad, Calls Him 'Mastermind' of Prayagraj Violence” The Quint
Nov 03
Nov 3rd 10:00am
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Nov 3rd 11:00am
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
USCIRF Conversation: Iranian Government Propaganda Against Religious Minorities
Thursday, November 3, 2022
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM ET
Virtual Event
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted a virtual discussion of USCIRF’s recent report on Iranian government propaganda and abuses against religious minorities, in light of the brutal crackdowns, arrests, and killings of peaceful protestors against the mandatory religious headscarf (hijab) laws.
Iran’s government uses both traditional and social media to incite intolerance against the country’s many religious minority communities, including Jews, Sunni Muslims, Gonabadi Sufis, Christian converts, and Baha’is. This propaganda promotes false narratives that Iranian religious minorities are disloyal and serves to justify the Iranian government’s ongoing and systematic crackdown on these groups.
The report, which draws on primary source Persian-language material, finds that Iran’s government commonly accuses religious minorities of having ties to foreign states and wishing to sow discord within the country. Iranian propaganda accuses Jews of being responsible for Iran’s economic problems and of being spies for Israel. Sunnis are framed as a demographic threat to the country’s Shi’a majority and therefore a national security threat. Iran’s propaganda falsely accuses Gonabadi Sufis of being a violent sect tied to foreign entities. It calls Christian converts members of a “Zionist evangelist cult” engaged in widespread security efforts against Iran. Baha’is are discussed as a deviant sect of Islam and a treasonous group with deviant moral practices. These messages serve to justify the Iranian government’s ongoing religious freedom violations.
USCIRF Commissioner Eric Ueland led the discussion with Shahin Milani, Executive Director of the Iran Human Rights Documentation Center and author of the report.
- Eric Ueland, Commissioner, USCIRF
- Shahin Milani, Executive Director, Iran Human Rights Documentation Center
- Scott Weiner, Supervisory 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].