Displaying results 1 - 100 of 171

USCIRF Letter to Secretary Kerry on the Sixteenth Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom sent the following letter to Secretary of State Kerry on April 12, 2013. The Honorable John F. Kerry Secretary of State U.S. Department of State Washington, DC 20520 Dear Secretary Kerry: I…
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…
Remarks by USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett, 2013 Annual Report, National Endowment for Democracy
USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett gave the following remarks at a conference, cosponsored by USCIRF and the National Endowment for Democracy on May 7, 2013Introduction Thank you for that kind introduction. It truly is a pleasure to join you today at the…
CNN World -- Fight Terrorism with Religious Freedom
Sep 11, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONSeptember 11, 2013 | By Robert P. George The following op-ed appeared in CNN World on September 11, 2013. Editor's note: Robert P. George is chairman of the U.S. Commission on International…
The Christian Science Monitor -- JFK's call for religious freedom can transform places like Pakistan
Nov 8, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONNovember 7, 2013 | By Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett The following op-ed appeared in the Christian Science Monitor on November 7, 2013. As the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of…
AZERBAIJAN: Government Must Free Prisoners of Conscience
Aug 24, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 24, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the violations of religious freedom and human rights taking place in Azerbaijan.…
USCIRF Condemns Terrorist Attack Against Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan
Jul 3, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 3, 2018 USCIRF Condemns Terrorist Attack Against Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan Chair Dorjee said, “This attack is yet another reminder of the crucial link between security and religious…
Summer Seminar #1 -- A Foundational Human Right: Why International Religious Freedom Matters
Jun 24 WHEN: Jun 24th 6:59pm…
Testimony of Vice Chair Maenza on Global Persecution of Christians
On June 27, 2019, Vice Chair Nadine Maenza testified at a Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hearing on violations of the right to freedom of religion of Christian communities around the world.Written Testimony Hearing Webpage
Summer Seminar #2 -- Anti-Semitism: The World's Oldest Hatred — New Again?
Jul 24 WHEN: Jul 24th 1:00pm - Jul 24th 1:00pm…
USCIRF Hearing on Global Efforts to Counter Anti-Semitism
Jan 08 WHEN: Jan 8th 1:30pm…
Country Update: Afghanistan
Click here to view the October 2019 Afghanistan Country Update.
Briefing on Freedom of Religion or Belief and Security: New Policy Guidance from the OSCE
Feb 11 WHEN: Feb 11th 10:30am…
USCIRF Delegation Travels to Azerbaijan to Assess Religious Freedom Conditions
Mar 9, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2020 USCIRF Delegation Travels to Azerbaijan to Assess Religious Freedom Conditions Washington, DC – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Vice Chairs…
USCIRF Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attack against Sikh House of Worship in Kabul
Mar 25, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 25, 2020 USCIRF Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attack against Sikh House of Worship in Kabul Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly…
Afghanistan Annual Report Chapters and Translations
Title 2026 Annual Report - Afghanistan Chapter File Upload USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Afghanistan.pdf Language English Year…
Azerbaijan Annual Report Chapters and Translations
Title 2026 Annual Report - Azerbaijan Chapter File Upload USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Azerbaijan.pdf Language English Year…
Remarks by USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett, 2013 Annual Report, National Endowment for Democracy
May 7, 2013 USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett gave the following remarks at a conference, cosponsored by USCIRF and the National Endowment for Democracy on May 7, 2013 Introduction Thank you for that kind introduction. It…
Factsheet: Conscientious Objection
Conscientious objection to military service is frequently connected to freedom of religion or belief, as many conscientious objectors are motivated by deeply-held religious beliefs. The right to conscientious objection is recognized under international…
Webinar #5: Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List
Nov 06 WHEN: Nov 6th 2:00pm…
2018 Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom
Jul 25 WHEN: Jul 25th 5:00pm - Jul 25th 7:00pm…
USCIRF Events During 2019 Ministerial
Jul 16 WHEN: Jul 16th 4:00pm - Jul 18th 2:00pm…
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing Protecting Houses of Worship and Holy Sites
Oct 23 WHEN: Oct 23rd 3:00pm…
USCIRF Update with USAID: The President’s Executive Order on International Religious Freedom
Aug 05 WHEN: Aug 5th 10:30am…
Issue Update: The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
Read the full Issue Update: The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses   This update describes official discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, with a particular focus on countries where members have been imprisoned for…
USCIRF Releases New Report about Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Nov 10, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 10, 2020 USCIRF Releases New Report about Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today…
Violating Rights: Enforcing the World's Blasphemy Laws
Click here to view the report Violating Rights: Enforcing the World’s Blasphemy Laws USCIRF’s groundbreaking report examines the enforcement of blasphemy laws worldwide. Blasphemy laws criminalize expressions that insults or offends religious doctrines.…
Factsheet: Shari'a and LGBTI Persons
Factsheet on Shari’a and LGBTI Persons – In some countries around the world, criminal laws provide for the death penalty based on religious interpretations. This factsheet highlights countries with death penalty laws that target the LGBTI community…
USCIRF Releases New Report about Shari’a and LGBTI Persons
Mar 16, 2021 USCIRF Releases New Report about Shari’a and LGBTI Persons Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following factsheet on governments’ use of…
Country Update: Azerbaijan
This report evaluates trends relevant to freedom of religion or belief in Azerbaijan since USCIRF commissioners and staff traveled to the country in early 2020. In recent years, Azerbaijan has implemented some changes that have marked an improvement in…
USCIRF Releases Country Update on Azerbaijan
Mar 18, 2021 USCIRF Releases Country Update on Azerbaijan Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released a country update on religious freedom conditions in Azerbaijan:…
Governments Using Shari’a to Impose Death Sentences on LGBTI Persons
Mar 26, 2021 In some countries around the world, religion-based laws are used by governments to impose capital punishment against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons. All of the 10 countries…
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…
2021 Annual Report
View the 2021 Annual Report          
Refugee Resettlement and Religious Freedom
Apr 30, 2021 The program to resettle refugees to the United States has existed since 1980, with strong bipartisan support. Earlier this month, President Biden signed an emergency declaration to speed up refugee admissions into…
USCIRF Concerned by Azerbaijan Religion Law Amendments, Condition of Ghazanchetsots Cathedral
May 17, 2021 USCIRF Concerned by Azerbaijan Religion Law Amendments, Condition of Ghazanchetsots Cathedral Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned that proposed…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Ensure continued U.S. funding for Radio Azadliq, the Azerbaijani Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and the Azerbaijani Service of the…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: USAID Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Specify freedom of religion or belief as a grant category and area of activity for the U.S. Agency for …
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: Government of Azerbaijan Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Thematic Area: Religious Prisoners of Conscience Recommendation:Release prisoners of conscience—particularly those…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: Government of Azerbaijan Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Permit all religious communities—particularly those located outside of Baku and those belonging to…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: Government of Azerbaijan Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Reform the 2009 law on religious organizations to bring it into conformity with recommendations by the…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: Congress Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:The U.S. Congress should hold public hearings to investigate Azerbaijan’s religious freedom and broader human rights…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Assist the government of Azerbaijan, in collaboration with international partners, to develop an…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Work with the government of Azerbaijan to revise the 2009 religion law to comply with international human…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Include Azerbaijan on the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: Congress Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:The U.S. Congress should hold public hearings to investigate Azerbaijan’s religious freedom and broader human rights…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: Congress Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Allocate funding to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and U.S. Embassy in Baku to restore, preserve,…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Assist the Azerbaijani government, in collaboration with international partners, to develop an alternative…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Work with the government of Azerbaijan to revise the 2009 religion law to comply with international human…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Azerbaijan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Include Azerbaijan on the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating…
USCIRF Conversation on the Exodus of Religious Minority Communities in Afghanistan
Jun 30 WHEN: Jun 30th 3:00pm - Jun 30th 4:00pm…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Press the Afghan government to acknowledge the significant threat to freedom of religion or belief posed…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Press the Afghan government to acknowledge the significant threat to freedom of religion or belief posed…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Administration Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Ensure the integration of religious freedom concerns with related issues such as countering religious extremism and…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Congress Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Ensure the integration of religious freedom concerns with related issues such as countering religious extremism and…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Urge the Afghan government to revoke the 2004 media law prohibiting “un-Islamic” writings and overturn…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Afghanistan Government Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Urge the Afghan government to revoke the 2004 media law prohibiting “un-Islamic” writings and overturn…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Administration Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Encourage the Afghan Ministry of Education and Ministry of Information and Culture to ensure—and, if possible, in…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Afghanistan Government Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Encourage the Afghan Ministry of Education and Ministry of Information and Culture to ensure—and, if…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Encourage the Afghan Ministry of Education and Ministry of Information and Culture to create a civic…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Encourage the Afghan Ministry of Education and Ministry of Information and Culture to advocate for the…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Include Afghanistan on the State Department’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Ensure that protections for freedom of religion or belief are integrated into any future negotiations…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Administration Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Thematic Area: Houses of Worship Recommendation:Integrate religious freedom concerns, including the protection of houses of…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Encourage the Afghan Ministries of Education, Information and Culture, and Hajj and Religious Affairs to…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Congress Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:The U.S. Congress should appropriate funding specifically for the protection of freedom of religion or belief in…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Include Afghanistan on the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Incorporate protections for freedom of religion or belief into U.S.-supported peace negotiations between…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Administration Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Thematic Area: Houses of Worship Recommendation:Integrate religious freedom concerns, including the protection of houses of…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: U.S. Department of State Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:Facilitate cooperation between faith leaders and scholars of all religions in Afghanistan to foster…
Recommendation
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Afghanistan Recommended To: Congress Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report Recommendation:The U.S. Congress should appropriate funding specifically for the protection of freedom of religion or belief in…
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…
USCIRF Calls on U.S. Government to Include Religious Minority Communities in Afghanistan in Evacuations
Aug 20, 2021 USCIRF Calls on U.S. Government to Include Religious Minority Communities in Afghanistan in Evacuations Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called on the United States government to include…
USCIRF Calls on the State Department to Prioritize Refugee Resettlement of Afghan Religious Minorities
Aug 23, 2021 USCIRF Calls on the State Department to Prioritize Refugee Resettlement of Afghan Religious Minorities Encourages Expansion of U.S. Refugee Admissions Program Priority 2 Designation   Washington, DC – The U.S…
Destruction of Cemeteries Factsheet
Destruction of Cemeteries – This factsheet outlines international human rights law that defines the obligations of governments to protect the cultural heritage of religious communities’ cemeteries. Additionally, it describes specific examples…
USCIRF Releases New Factsheet on Destruction of Cemeteries
Sep 1, 2021 USCIRF Releases New Factsheet on Destruction of Cemeteries Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on the destruction of…
USCIRF Hearing: Strategies for Religious Freedom in Fragile States
Sep 22 WHEN: Sep 22nd 10:30am - Sep 22nd 12:00pm…
Hazara Community Threatened in Afghanistan
Sep 17, 2021 When Afghanistan was under Taliban control in 1996-2001, the Taliban discriminated against and violently persecuted the Hazara Shi’a community—which they labeled as “heretical.” Subsequently, the Hazara community…
USCIRF Conversation: Accountability for Crimes Against Humanity
Sep 30 WHEN: Sep 30th 11:00am - Sep 30th 12:00pm…
USCIRF Conversation: Update on At-Risk Religious Communities in Afghanistan
Oct 06 WHEN: Oct 6th 11:00am - Oct 6th 12:00pm…
USCIRF Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attacks on Shi’a Mosques in Afghanistan
Oct 15, 2021 USCIRF Strongly Condemns Terrorist Attacks on Shi’a Mosques in Afghanistan Reiterates Call for State Department to Include Afghan Religious Minorities in U.S. Refugee Admissions Program Priority 2 Designation…
Afghanistan Factsheet
This report catalogues deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan since the Taliban took control of the country on August 15, 2021. Afghans who do not adhere to the Taliban’s harsh and strict interpretation of Islam, as well as those who…
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Minorities in Afghanistan
Oct 28, 2021 USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Minorities in Afghanistan Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: Afghanistan…
USCIRF Releases Factsheet Reiterating its Recommendations for State Department CPC and SWL Designations
Nov 5, 2021 USCIRF Releases Factsheet Reiterating its Recommendations for State Department CPC and SWL Designations Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the…
EPCs and Religious Freedom Factsheet
Some of the gravest threats to FoRB in recent years have come not from government actions, but from non-state actors. In recognition of this threat, the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016, which amended the International Religious…
USCIRF Releases New Report about Entities of Particular Concern and Religious Freedom
Nov 8, 2021 USCIRF Releases New Report about Entities of Particular Concern and Religious Freedom Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report…
Movsum Samadov
Additional Name(s): Movsum Mardan oglu Samadov Gender: Male Perpetrator: Azerbaijan Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a…
Abqul Suleymanov
Additional Name(s): Abgul Suleymanov, Abgul Neymat oglu Suleymanov Gender: Male Perpetrator: Azerbaijan Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a…
Elshan Mustafaoglu
Additional Name(s): Elshan Mustafaoglu Mustafayev Gender: Male Perpetrator: Azerbaijan Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a…
Elvin Muradov
Additional Name(s): Elvin Mürvətoğlu Gender: Male Perpetrator: Azerbaijan Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a Reports…
Ahsan Nuruzade
Additional Name(s): Ahsan Muzaffar oglu Nuruzade Gender: Male Perpetrator: Azerbaijan Religion or Belief: Muslim – Shi'a…
USCIRF Conversation on the Global Compact on Refugees
Feb 02 WHEN: Feb 2nd 11:00am - Feb 2nd 12:00pm…
Christians in Extreme Danger in Afghanistan
Jan 28, 2022 The situation for the Christian community in Afghanistan has grown ever more perilous since the Taliban took control of the country in August 2021. There have been accounts of the Taliban going door to door seeking…
The Hill: Biden Must Prioritize the Resettlement of Afghanistan’s Religious Minorities
Mar 1, 2022 This op-ed was originally published by The Hill on March 1, 2022 By USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza and USCIRF Commissioner Frederick A. Davie  Last August was a life changing moment for the world, as the Taliban…
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…
Persecuted Christians Around the World
Apr 22, 2022 According to the Pew Research Center’s most recent global data, Christianity’s diverse set of traditions comprise the single largest religious group on earth, of some 2.3 billion people—or nearly a third of the…
2022 Annual Report
View the 2022 Annual Report Highlights from USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report   Numbers-at-a-Glance 15 countries recommended for “country of particular concern” (CPC) designation 1 new country recommended for CPC designation 12…
The Hill: A glimmer of hope in bringing accountability to religious freedom violators abroad
Apr 25, 2022 This op-ed was originally published by The Hill on April 25, 2022. By USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza and Vice Chair Nury Turkel As the world is trying to resume some semblance of normalcy, it is abundantly clear that…
USCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy
Apr 26, 2022 On April 25, 2022, USCIRF released its 2022 Annual Report, which documents developments in international religious freedom from 2021. The report provides recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s promotion…
Factsheet: Global Overview of Refugees Fleeing Religious Persecution
This factsheet highlights the global scale of religious persecution by providing an overview of contexts where large populations have been displaced due to persecution or violence based on religion or belief, including in Afghanistan, Burma, the Central…