Nov 28
Nov 28th 11:00am
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Nov 28th 12:00pm
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
USCIRF Conversation: Threats to Religious Sites in Turkey
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET
Virtual Event
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) hosted a virtual event that discussed the findings of USCIRF’s new report examining threats to religious sites in Turkey, including places of worship, religious institutions, and cemeteries.
While the number and severity of violent attacks targeting religious sites—such as bombings and other terrorist methods—have decreased over the last decade, there has not been a similar decline in incidents of vandalism and the destruction of religious properties. The research demonstrates denominational differences in the threats and attacks faced by various religious communities in Turkey and evaluates the geographic variation in attitudes towards these communities and their religious sites. Although efforts by the Turkish government and local authorities to restore select religious heritage sites represent an important positive step, such projects remain limited.
USCIRF Commissioners David Curry and Susie Gelman were joined by the author of the report, Coordinator of the Anti-Defamation League’s Task Force on Middle East Minorities Dr. Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir, for this discussion. The event was moderated by USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst Keely Bakken and included Q&A from attendees.
Panelists
- David Curry, Commissioner, USCIRF
- Susie Gelman, Commissioner, USCIRF
- Tuğba Tanyeri-Erdemir, Task Force on Middle East Minorities Coordinator, Anti-Defamation League
Moderator
- Keely Bakken, 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].
Nov 15, 2023
USCIRF Condemns Iran’s Religious Persecution of Baha’is
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the Iranian government’s recent spate of arrests of Baha’is across the country. Since the beginning of November, Iranian security forces have arrested scores of Baha’is in cities including Hamadan, Mehrshahr, Yazd, Karaj, Alborz, and Tehran. Additionally, the Mashhad Revolutionary Court sentenced a Baha’i man, Zabihi Moghadam, to eight years in prison. These actions are the latest in a series of arrests and sentencings targeting Iran’s Baha’i community.
“Iran’s continued crackdown on Baha’is is alarming and underscores the worsening deterioration of religious freedom conditions in the country,” said USCIRF Commissioner Susie Gelman. “We call on Congress to continue to speak on behalf of persecuted religious minorities in Iran, and to reauthorize the Lautenberg Amendment, a family reunification program providing a legal path for resettlement for Iranian Baha’is and other religious minorities fleeing government persecution.”
Iran’s government considers the Baha’i faith a “deviant sect of Islam” and has increased its persecution of the community amid nation-wide protests that began in September 2022. Its recent arrests have specifically targeted Baha’i women. Three members of Iran’s former Baha’i leadership (Yaran-e-Iran) currently remain in prison despite having served a decade in prison on prior charges: Afif Naimi, Mahvash Sabet, and Fariba Kamalabadi.
“The dreadful and unrelenting targeting of Baha’is by the regime in Iran, particularly after having just marked the one-year anniversary of Masha Amini’s killing, reflects a continued shameless disregard for freedom of religion or belief,” said USCIRF Commissioner Eric Ueland. “The Biden administration should sanction Iranian regime officials responsible for these terrible violations and lead other countries to hold Iranian regime members to account.”
In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State redesignate Iran as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. In April 2023, USCIRF released a report highlighting the sexual and gender based violence against religious freedom protestors in Iran. In May, USCIRF held a hearing on transnational repression and religious freedom, including repression by the government of Iran.
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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].
Nov 14, 2023
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in the Sahel Region of Africa
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following new report on religious freedom conditions in the Sahel region of Africa:
Freedom of Religion or Belief in the Sahel Region of Africa – This report provides an overview of religious freedom conditions in the Sahel region of Africa and highlights recent developments. The report evaluates the three countries of Sudan, Mali and Niger and discusses violent extremist groups, the fragility of governments, the presence of the armed forces in politics, and ethno-religious clashes in isolated areas. The report notes that the presence of the Wagner Group in the Sahel reduces direct Western influence on counterinsurgency operations there and reflects a new great power competition among non-African states vying to influence the region.
In February 2023, USCIRF released a factsheet on religious freedom concerns in Central Africa. In 2021, USCIRF released a factsheet that highlighted violations against Muslims across Africa.
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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].