Apr 25

WHEN:

Apr 25th 2:00pm - Apr 25th 3:00pm

2022 Annual Report:
Key Findings and Recommendations

Monday, April 25, 2022 
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET

Event Transcript
 

USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report reflects significant developments over the past year with progress in some countries bringing positive change while other nations implemented laws and policies further targeting religious communities, and in some cases amounting to crimes against humanity and genocide.

In its report, USCIRF notes several of its recommendations implemented by the U.S. government. The report also highlights important global developments and trends related to religious freedom during 2021, including in countries that do not meet the criteria of a "country of particular concern" (CPC) or Special Watch List (SWL). These include: the COVID-19 pandemic and religious freedom, blasphemy and hate speech law enforcement, transnational repression, religious intolerance in Europe, deteriorating religious freedom conditions in South Asia, and political upheaval that raises religious freedom concerns.

This year’s report features new and many repeated actionable recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief abroad.

Opening Remarks

Special Remarks

This event is no longer in-person and will now be held virtually on Zoom Webinar. Attendees who register can ask questions during the virtual Q&A. Click here to register. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email that will include the event link and password.

Apr 8, 2022

Article 18 of both the United Nations Human Rights Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects not only the right to believe in and practice a religion and to change religion, but also the right to hold nontheistic beliefs.

Despite these protections, many members of nonreligious communities face government repression, social intolerance, restrictions on freedom of thought, belief and expression, and pervasive discrimination because of their lack of religion or absence of belief in a God.

Rachel Deitch, Director of Policy and Social Justice with the American Humanist Association joins us to discuss conditions of non-religious communities around the world.

 

Read USCIRF’s Factsheet on Nonbelievers in Africa

Additional Name(s): Aikebaier Aisaiti, Ekberjan Eset, Ekber Es'et, ئەكبەر ئەسئەت, 艾克拜尔·艾赛提

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: China

Ethnic Group: Uyghur

Religion or Belief: Unspecified

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 15 Years Imprisonment

Date of Detainment: April//2016

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Ethnoreligious Identity Online Activity

Nature of Charges: Hate Speech

Ekpar Asat

Extra Bio Info:

Ekpar Asat is imprisoned in relation to his ethnoreligious identity.

In April 2016, authorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) detained Asat, founder of the Uyghur-language website Baghdax, reportedly for "inciting ethnic hatred." Asat's detainment followed his return from the United States after attending a leadership program organized by the U.S. Department of State.

In January 2020, the Chinese Embassy in Washington informed U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) that Asat had been sentenced to 15 years in prison. The date of his sentencing and the details of his charges and trial are unclear.

Asat's health has reportedly deteriorated greatly while imprisoned.

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) advocates for Asat as part of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission's Defending Freedoms Project. 

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