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USCIRF's 2013 Annual Report on the State of International Religious Freedom Identifies World's Worst Violators
Apr 30, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 30, 2013| By USCIRF Washington, D.C. -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal advisory body created by the International Religious Freedom…
India: Importance of Getting Religious Freedom Right
Feb 6, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 6, 2015 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends President Obama for deepening relations with India while also recognizing…
India: USCIRF Not Issued Visas
Mar 3, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 3, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Indian government today failed to issue visas to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in time for a long planned…
INDIA: Report Examines Legal Restrictions Religious Minorities Face
Feb 8, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 8, 2017   WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new report, Constitutional and Legal Challenges Faced by Religious Minorities in India, examines India’s constitution and national and state laws…
New USCIRF Report: Anti-Conversion Laws on the Rise in South Asia
Dec 11, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2018   New USCIRF Report: Anti-Conversion Laws on the Rise in South Asia USCIRF Calls on U.S. to Press South Asian Governments to Rescind These Laws   WASHINGTON, DC –…
USCIRF Statement on Mob Lynching of Muslim Man in India
Jun 26, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 26, 2019 USCIRF Statement on Mob Lynching of Muslim Man in India WASHINGTON, DC – In response to the reported murder of Tabrez Ansari by a mob in the eastern state of Jharkhand in India…
USCIRF Statement on Indian Government’s “Religious Test” for Muslims in Assam
Aug 27, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [AUGUST 27, 2019]   USCIRF Statement on Indian Government’s “Religious Test” for Muslims in Assam   WASHINGTON, DC – Residents of the northeastern Indian state of Assam face an August…
USCIRF Statement on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th Birth Anniversary
Oct 1, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2, 2019 On October 2, the world will commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. In honor of Gandhi’s life and principles, United States Commission on International…
Fate of Nearly 2 million in Assam, India Examined in New USCIRF Report
Nov 19, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 19, 2019     Fate of Nearly 2 million in Assam, India Examined in New USCIRF Report   WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (…
USCIRF Raises Serious Concerns and Eyes Sanctions Recommendations for Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in India, Which Passed Lower House Today
Dec 9, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2019 USCIRF Raises Serious Concerns and Eyes Sanctions Recommendations for Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in India, Which Passed Lower House Today WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission…
USCIRF Releases New Factsheet on India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act
Feb 19, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  February 19, 2020   USCIRF Releases New Factsheet on India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF…
USCIRF Welcomes Indian Supreme Court Decision on Assam Detention Centers as a First Step
Apr 14, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 2020 USCIRF Welcomes Indian Supreme Court Decision on Assam Detention Centers as a First Step Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomed…
USCIRF Releases Groundbreaking Report on the Enforcement of Blasphemy Laws Globally
Dec 9, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: USCIRF Releases Groundbreaking Report on the Enforcement of Blasphemy Laws Globally WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released a…
Religious Freedom Priorities for the Biden Administration
Feb 4, 2021   As the Biden administration begins to formulate its broader human rights policy, USCIRF highlights several priority countries when it comes to international religious freedom. Condemning and preventing…
USCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy
Apr 21, 2021 USCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy No Longer Recommends Three Countries for Special Watch List Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom…
Enforcing Blasphemy Laws Have Dire Consequences
May 27, 2021 Blasphemy laws criminalize expression that insults or offends religious doctrines. Such laws are often used to restrict freedom of religion or belief. As of 2020, 84 countries still had blasphemy laws. The severity…
USCIRF Condemns Death of Jesuit Priest Imprisoned in India
Jul 7, 2021 USCIRF Condemns Death of Jesuit Priest Imprisoned in India Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemned in the strongest terms the deliberate neglect and…
The Impact of Majoritarianism on Religious Minorities in South Asia
Aug 19, 2021 We have seen a significant deterioration in religious freedom conditions in South Asia in recent years. Blasphemy cases, forced conversions, attacks on houses of worship, hate speech, and violence targeting…
Religion, Law and Citizenship in Assam, India
Sep 2, 2021 For the past two years, USCIRF has recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular of Concern (CPC) by the State Department due the government’s promotion of Hindu nationalist policies resulting in…
USCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy
Apr 25, 2022 USCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy  Recommends Afghanistan as Country of Particular Concern Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious…
Anti-Conversion Laws and Growing Intolerance in India
May 6, 2022 Since 2020, USCIRF has recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular of Concern, or CPC, due to the Indian government’s promotion of Hindu nationalism, and engagement and facilitation of systematic,…
Deteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in South Asia
Jul 22, 2022 Several major political events occurred in South Asia over the last year. The Taliban, whom USCIRF has recommended for years as an “Entity of Particular Concern” (EPC), took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.…
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in India
Nov 22, 2022 USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in India Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: India Country Update – This report provides a broad…
USCIRF Outraged by Omission of Nigeria and India from State Department’s List of Countries of Particular Concern
Dec 2, 2022 USCIRF Outraged by Omission of Nigeria and India from State Department’s List of Countries of Particular Concern Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) finds it inexplicable that the U.S. Department of…
Breaking Down the State Department’s IRF Designations
Dec 16, 2022 Pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the U.S. Department of State designates Countries of Particular Concern, places countries on its Special Watch List, and designates Entities of Particular Concern. As part of this…
USCIRF Observes International Women’s Day
Mar 8, 2023 USCIRF Observes International Women’s Day Brings Attention to Religious Freedom Violations Abroad Against Women Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today commemorates International Women’s Day, and…
USCIRF Releases New Report on India’s State-Level Anti-Conversion Laws
Mar 14, 2023 USCIRF Releases New Report on India’s State-Level Anti-Conversion Laws Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: India’s State-Level Anti-Conversion Laws…
USCIRF Releases 2023 Annual Report Highlighting Worsening Religious Freedom Conditions Around the World
May 1, 2023 USCIRF Releases 2023 Annual Report Highlighting Worsening Religious Freedom Conditions Around the World Includes new recommendations of Cuba and Nicaragua as Countries of Particular Concern and Sri Lanka for the Special Watch List Washington,…
USCIRF Welcomes the Release of State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report
May 15, 2023 USCIRF Welcomes the Release of State Department’s 2022 International Religious Freedom Report Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends the State Department…
USCIRF Urges President Biden to Raise Religious Freedom Concerns During India State Visit
Jun 20, 2023 USCIRF Urges President Biden to Raise Religious Freedom Concerns During India State Visit WASHINGTON, DC –The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) urges President Joseph R. Biden to address concerning issues of…
Violence Against Tribal Christians in Manipur, India
Jun 22, 2023 In May 2023, violent clashes between two communities erupted in India’s Manipur state, leaving entire villages burned and displacing tens of thousands. The ongoing conflict is between the state’s majority Hindu Meitei community and the…
USCIRF Releases Updated Blasphemy Factsheet and Blasphemy Law Compendium
Sep 14, 2023 USCIRF Releases Updated Blasphemy Factsheet and Blasphemy Law Compendium Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released two new reports: Legislation Factsheet on Blasphemy – This…
USCIRF Reiterates Concerns on Religious Freedom in India, Calls for Release of Religious Prisoners of Conscience
Oct 3, 2023 USCIRF Reiterates Concerns on Religious Freedom in India, Calls for Release of Religious Prisoners of Conscience Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a hearing on “Advancing Religious…
USCIRF Deeply Concerned by India’s Transnational Repression Against Religious Minorities
Dec 15, 2023 USCIRF Deeply Concerned by India’s Transnational Repression Against Religious Minorities Urges State Department to Make CPC Designation Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is alarmed by…
USCIRF Calls for Congressional Hearing after State Department Fails to Designate Nigeria and India as Countries of Particular Concern
Jan 4, 2024 USCIRF Calls for Congressional Hearing after State Department Fails to Designate Nigeria and India as Countries of Particular Concern Azerbaijan Added to State Department’s Special Watch List Washington, DC – The United States Commission on…
Shortcomings of the State Department’s CPC Designations
Jan 25, 2024 One of USCIRF’s key functions is to make recommendations to the State Department about which countries we think should be designated as Countries of Particular Concern or CPCs, based on our independent research and…
USCIRF Calls Attention to Prevalence of Anti-Muslim Hate Around the World
Mar 15, 2024 USCIRF Calls Attention to Prevalence of Anti-Muslim Hate Around the World Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is alarmed at the proliferation of incidents and expressions of anti-Muslim…
USCIRF Raises Alarm Over India’s Exclusionary Citizenship Amendment Act During Congressional Hearing
Mar 25, 2024 USCIRF Raises Alarm Over India’s Exclusionary Citizenship Amendment Act During Congressional Hearing Washington, DC –The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) raised the alarm on the Indian government’s…
USCIRF Releases 2024 Annual Report with New Recommendations for U.S. Policy
May 1, 2024 USCIRF Releases 2024 Annual Report with New Recommendations for U.S. Policy Highlights State of Religious Freedom Abroad after 25 Years of IRFA Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today…
USCIRF Releases Report on Government Misinformation and Disinformation and Religious Freedom
Aug 8, 2024 USCIRF Releases Report on Government Misinformation and Disinformation and Religious Freedom Washington, DC –The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following report: Misinformation and…
USCIRF Releases Report on India’s Collapsing Religious Freedom Conditions
Oct 2, 2024 USCIRF Releases Report on India’s Collapsing Religious Freedom Conditions  Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report:  India Country Update – This report…
USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual Report
Mar 25, 2025 USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual ReportWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released its 2025 Annual Report. The report documents religious freedom conditions in 2024 and recommends policy…
USCIRF Condemns Attack in Kashmir
Apr 25, 2025 USCIRF Condemns Attack in KashmirWashington D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns the attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir that claimed the lives of 26 people, including 25 Indian citizens and one…
The State of Religious Freedom in India
May 1, 2025   In recent years, USCIRF has reported declining religious freedom conditions in India, as the government continues to enforce and strengthen legislation that disproportionately impacts religious minorities, including anti-conversion…
India Expels Rohingya Refugees and Muslim Citizens
Sep 4, 2025 India Expels Rohingya Refugees and Muslim Citizens Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned by the Indian government’s expulsion of Rohingya refugees back to Burma. This effort to…
Promoting Religious Freedom is a Vital Atrocity Prevention Tool
Sep 9, 2025 Promoting Religious Freedom is a Vital Atrocity Prevention ToolWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on the link between atrocity prevention and international religious…
USCIRF Releases Report on Refugees Fleeing Religious Persecution
Oct 1, 2025  USCIRF Releases Report on Refugees Fleeing Religious PersecutionWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on refugees fleeing religious persecution:The Responsibility of…
India’s Political System Facilitates Intolerance Towards Religious Minorities
Nov 18, 2025  India’s Political System Facilitates Intolerance Towards Religious MinoritiesWashington D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report: Issue Update: Systematic Religious…
Religious Minorities in India Suffer Escalating Attacks
Feb 6, 2026   Religious Minorities in India Suffer Escalating AttacksWashington 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…
Targeted Sanctions as a Key U.S. Foreign Policy Tool to Promote Religious Freedom
May 6, 2026   Targeted Sanctions as a Key U.S. Foreign Policy Tool to Promote Religious FreedomWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on targeted sanctions:Targeted Sanctions…