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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…
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…
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…
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…
Jun 24
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Jun 24th 6:59pm…
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
Jul 24
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Feb 11
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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…
Title
2026 Annual Report - Afghanistan Chapter
File Upload
USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Afghanistan.pdf
Language
English
Year…
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…
Oct 23
WHEN:
Oct 23rd 3:00pm…
Aug 05
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Aug 5th 10:30am…
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…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Jun 30
WHEN:
Jun 30th 3:00pm
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Jun 30th 4:00pm…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Sep 22
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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…
Sep 30
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Oct 06
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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Feb 02
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Feb 2nd 11:00am
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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
May 12, 2022
USCIRF Releases New Report on Refugees Fleeing Religious Persecution
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Global…
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.…
Aug 24
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Aug 24th 10:30am
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This report analyzes the severe decline of freedom of religion or belief since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021 and their de facto rule over Afghanistan. The Taliban’s imposition of their narrow interpretation of Sunni Islam poses a grave threat to…
Aug 23, 2022
USCIRF Releases New Report Highlighting Religious Freedom in Afghanistan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:…
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…
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,…
View the 2023 Annual Report
Highlights from USCIRF’s 2023 Annual Report
Numbers-at-a-Glance
17 countries recommended for “country of particular concern” (CPC) designation
2 new countries recommended for CPC designation
11…
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…
May 3, 2023
This op-ed was originally published by Religion News Service on May 3, 2023.
By USCIRF Chair Nury Turkel & Vice Chair Abraham Cooper
Denying religious freedom and women’s rights go hand-in-hand.
Over the…
This report highlights the deterioration of religious freedom conditions in Afghanistan in the two years since the Taliban takeover of the country. Through a series of edicts, decrees, and circular letters, the Taliban have systematically restricted the…
Aug 30, 2023
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom and Women’s Rights in Afghanistan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on religious freedom conditions…
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…
In October 1998, the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) elevated freedom of religion or belief as a U.S. foreign policy priority. This landmark law mandates that U.S. policy include condemning violations of religious freedom abroad and assisting…
Nov 6, 2023
USCIRF Concerned by Pakistan’s Expulsion of Refugees and Attacks Against Ahmadiyya Muslims
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is troubled by reports of increased detainment, violence, and…
This report analyzes how countries impermissibly restrict individuals’ freedom to wear garb expressing or in accordance with their religion or belief. These restrictions typically involve governments either prohibiting or mandating the wearing of…
Nov 20, 2023
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Garb and International Human Rights Law
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Religious Garb Restrictions and…
Jun 30
WHEN:
Jun 30th 10:00am…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Highlights from USCIRF’s 2024 Annual Report
Numbers-at-a-Glance
17 countries recommended for “country of particular concern” (CPC) designation
1 new country recommended for CPC designation
11 countries recommended for the State Department’s “Special…
This country update describes current religious freedom conditions under de facto Taliban authorities, including the introduction and enforcement of strict religious edicts. It highlights the manner in which such edicts have severely restricted the…
Aug 7, 2024
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in Afghanistan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Afghanistan Country Update - This country update…
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…
Highlights from USCIRF’s 2025 Annual ReportNumbers-at-a-Glance16 countries recommended for “country of particular concern” (CPC) designation12 countries recommended for the State Department’s “Special Watch List” (SWL)7 entities recommended…
Apr 28, 2025
USCIRF Alarmed by Repatriation of Afghan RefugeesWashington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), is alarmed by the Pakistani government’s rapid and ongoing repatriation of Afghan refugees to Taliban-…
This summary provides an overview of USCIRF's hearing, "Religious Freedom Conditions in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan." Witnesses discussed current religious freedom conditions throughout the country, including the Taliban’s systematic enforcement of…