Additional Name(s): Ba Hlol

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: Vietnam

Ethnic Group: Bahnar

Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Sentence: 11 Years' Imprisonment

Date of Sentencing: May//2013

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: No

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Religious Activity Religious Belief Unregistered Religious Activity

Nature of Charges: Subversion

A Tach

Extra Bio Info:

A Tach is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In 2012, authorities arrested Tach in relation to his activities with the unregistered Ha Mon Catholic Church.  Authorities accused him of separatist activities. 

In May 2013, Tach was sentenced to 11 years in prison and three to five years probation for "undermining national unity policy" (Art. 87/1999 VCC).

Publicly Available Information:

Jul 28

WHEN:

Jul 28th 10:30am - Jul 28th 12:00pm

Ending Genocide:
Accountability for Perpetrators

Wednesday, July 28, 2021
10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Virtual Hearing

Hearing Transcript

Hearing Summary

Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (TLHRC) for a joint virtual hearing on how the international community can hold perpetrators of mass atrocities, both state and non-state actors, accountable for international crimes, including genocide, committed against religious communities.

Despite the 1948 Genocide Convention and declarations of “never again,” perpetrators around the world continue to commit genocide, including against religious communities, with impunity. Holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes is imperative for deterrence and is a key element in providing justice to the victims of these crimes along with reparations for devastated communities, restoring the dignity of survivors, and supporting broader transitional justice processes that deal with the legacy of conflict. Despite this importance, in the face of ongoing mass atrocities, or even in their aftermath, many obstacles impede the ability of victims to access justice. While States have the primary obligation under international law to criminally prosecute those responsible for mass atrocity crimes, international and hybrid courts can help close the accountability gap.

Several religious communities targeted by genocide in recent years continue to raise their voices for justice. In Iraq and Syria, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant committed genocide against Yazidis, Christians, and other religious minorities, spurring calls for international trials to end the cycle of violence and impunity. Responding to the plight of the Rohingya, the Gambia initiated proceedings at the International Court of Justice against Burma for its alleged genocide against that community. Civil society launched the Uyghur Tribunal as a response to the inability to date to bring the government of the People’s Republic of China before a formal international court. Ongoing efforts to document and collect evidence of grave human rights violations at the international and local levels also support victims to ensure future criminal investigations and prosecutions.

Witnesses will discuss how the U.S. government and the international community can identify and support opportunities to hold perpetrators of mass atrocities accountable and ensure justice for victims.

Opening Remarks

Panel I

Panel II

  • Stephen Rapp, former Ambassador, Office of Global Criminal Justice, U.S. Department of State
    Written testimony
  • Carmen Cheung, Executive Director, Center for Justice and Accountability
    Written testimony
  • Alim Seytoff, Director, Uyghur Service, Radio Free Asia
    Written testimony
  • M. Arsalan Suleman, Counsel, Foley Hoag; former Acting Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, U.S. Department of State
    Written testimony

Witnesses’ Bios

 

Submitted for the record:

Testimony of Dr. Beth Van Schaack for USCIRF Hearing on May 12, 2021

Testimony of Dr. Beth Van Schaack for Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission Hearing on June 13, 2019

Statement of Armenian Assembly of America 

Statement of Bhupindar Singh and Boota Singh Kharoudh

 

This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. Members of the media should register online and can email [email protected] for any questions or to schedule an interview. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on both the USCIRF website and the TLHRC website. For any additional questions, please contact Nina Ullom at [email protected] or (202) 322-0232.

Jul 16, 2021

USCIRF Concerned by New Uzbekistan Religion Law

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed its disappointment that Uzbekistan’s new Religion Law fails to address the most serious restrictions on religious freedom in the country.

“We are concerned that the newly signed legislation retains Uzbekistan’s most severe limitations on freedom of religion or belief from previous laws, including restrictions on education, literature, and sharing of religious beliefs,” said USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza. “USCIRF urges the U.S. government to encourage Uzbekistan, as a participating state in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, to continue on its path of positive change and conform its Religion Law with international standards.”

The new law, On the Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, has some positive changes for religious freedom in Uzbekistan, such as lifting the ban on wearing religious attire in public for non-registered clergy. It also halves the number of adult citizens required for registering a new religious organization, from 100 to 50. Despite this progress, however, the law also includes a new stipulation that requires citizens registering their religious group to live in the same district, making it difficult once again for small religious organizations to register. The Uzbek government reportedly adopted the legislation “almost entirely in secret,” with infrequent public announcements and little input from citizens.

Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed the legislation into law on July 5, 2021, and its adoption follows worrying trends in the country. In recent months, Uzbek police forced practicing Muslims to shave off their beards; the Uzbek government recalled up to 1,500 students from religious schools abroad; and an Uzbek court fined a journalist for writing on religious topics.

“Uzbekistan has made some headway on religious freedom, and we applaud the Uzbek government for releasing religious prisoners of conscience Khayrullo Tursunov and Habibullah Madmarov, but the adoption of the new Religion Law and recent developments in the country show that progress remains fragile,” USCIRF Vice Chair Nury Turkel added. “The U.S. government should encourage Tashkent to stay the course of reform.”

In its 2021 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State place Uzbekistan on its Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe religious freedom violations. USCIRF has also discussed Uzbekistan’s religious freedom developments in an episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast published in March 2021.

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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].

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