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
Oct 30, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 30, 2019
USCIRF Alarmed Over Systematic Church Closures in Algeria
WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply concerned by…
Dec 9, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2019
USCIRF Raises Alarm about Speech Laws that Restrict Religious Freedom in More than Half of African Countries
Briefing Tomorrow to Feature New Report and Recommendations
…
Read the full report here.This report is an examination of religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua following the outbreak of anti-government protests in April 2018 that continue to occur around the country. Throughout this political crisis, the Catholic…
Mar 11, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 11, 2020
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Nicaragua
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today…
Jul 20, 2020
This op-ed was originally published by The Washington Examiner, on July 20, 2020.
By USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and USCIRF Vice Chair Tony Perkins
In Iraq, the 50th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces has…
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…
Jan 25, 2021
USCIRF Troubled by Escalating Persecution of Ahmadi Muslims in Algeria
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is troubled by reports of escalating repression…
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…
Jun 23, 2021
USCIRF Condemns Recent Court Decisions in Algeria Against Christians
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned several court decisions in Algeria that restrict Christians’ religious…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2021 Annual Report
Recommendation:Include Algeria on the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2021 Annual Report
Recommendation:Encourage U.S. Embassy officials to meet with the National Commission for Non-Muslim Religious Groups and other relevant…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2021 Annual Report
Recommendation:Encourage U.S. Embassy officials to attend and observe court proceedings on church closures and against Ahmadiyya Muslims to…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2021 Annual Report
Recommendation:Monitor the impact of changes in the new constitution regarding freedom of conscience and advocate that the government…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: U.S. Congress
Source: 2021 Annual Report
Recommendation:Hold public hearings to encourage Algeria to reverse decisions that have led to religious freedom violations and reform…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Recommendation:Include Algeria on the U.S. Department of State’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Recommendation:Encourage U.S. Embassy officials to meet with the Commission for Non-Muslim Religious Groups to clarify and assess its process…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Algeria
Recommended To: State Department
Source: 2020 Annual Report
Recommendation:Condition future cultural exchange programs between the United States and Algeria on the improvement of religious freedom…
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…
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…
This factsheet documents and contextualizes recent religious freedom violations against Ahmadiyya Muslims, shining a light on the worrying trend of growing state persecution of members of this community. Ahmadiyya Muslims face persecution and…
Oct 18, 2021
USCIRF Releases New Report about Persecution of Ahmadiyya Muslims
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on persecution of…
This country update examines religious freedom conditions in Algeria, which have deteriorated to a degree that has led USCIRF to recommend that the U.S State Department include Algeria on its Special Watch List since 2020. Although Algeria’s…
Oct 19, 2021
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Algeria
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Algeria…
This report documents trends in religious freedom violations against Muslims during the last two years. While many Muslims in Africa practice their faith in peace and harmony, some Muslims have been denied their freedom of religion or belief across the…
Oct 20, 2021
USCIRF Releases Report Highlighting Religious Freedom Violations against Muslims in Africa
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new…
Oct 22, 2021
The Ahmadiyya Muslim community was founded in 1889 in Punjab, India and today has an estimated tens of millions of members globally. Because of the differences between Ahmadiyya beliefs and beliefs in Sunni and Shi…
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…
Nov 5, 2021
In recent years, Algerian authorities have shown more hostility towards religious minorities, forcibly closing dozens of Protestant churches and prosecuting Ahmadiyya Muslims for gathering without authorization for…
Nov 17, 2021
USCIRF Appalled at Administration’s Removal of Nigeria from List of Violators of Religious Freedom
Welcomes State Department’s Additional Designations of Russia and Algeria
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious…
Feb 4, 2022
The government of Nicaragua, under the leadership of President Daniel Ortega, has a history of persecuting Catholic clergy, worshipers, and organizations as well as Protestant institutions especially since religious leaders provided sanctuary…
Apr 16, 2022
This op-ed was originally published by USA Today on April 16, 2022.
By USCIRF Commissioners Jim Carr and Fred Davie
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has long advocated for the…
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…
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…
Aug 11, 2022
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Nicaragua Country Update…
This report details deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua during the first half of 2022. In March, the government expelled the papal nuncio, the Vatican’s chief diplomat in the country, for unexplained reasons. Most recently, a judge…
Sep 9, 2022
Since 2020, USCIRF has recommended that Nicaragua be included on the State Department’s Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. In 2022, the Nicaraguan government has greatly intensified its…
This factsheet highlights Algerian laws that pose risks to freedom of religion or belief. This report summarizes the intersection of law, religion, and politics in recent Algerian history. It highlights aspects of Algerian law that are inconsistent with…
Nov 4, 2022
USCIRF Releases New Report on Law and Religion in Algeria
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report on religious freedom conditions in Algeria:
Law and…
Feb 10, 2023
In recent years USCIRF has reported that religious freedom conditions in Algeria have continued to deteriorate with the government increasingly enforcing blasphemy laws and restricting worship. These laws particularly impact religious…
Feb 14, 2023
USCIRF Condemns Nicaragua’s 26-year Prison Sentence for Bishop Rolando Álvarez
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the Nicaraguan government’s sentencing of Catholic Bishop Rolando…
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…
This comprehensive report features three crosscutting research areas that illuminate the religious freedom challenges facing indigenous communities in Latin America. First, the report provides detailed information about recent religious freedom…
Jun 7, 2023
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom Violations Against Indigenous Communities in Latin America
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Religious…
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…
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…
Oct 25, 2023
USCIRF Condemns Nicaragua’s Expulsion of Arbitrarily Detained Priests
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the Nicaraguan government’s expulsion of ten arbitrarily detained…
This report documents the text of the 73 national anti-conversion laws on the books around the world. In total, 46 countries have at least one national anti-conversion law in force. Four types of national anti-conversion laws are documented: anti-…
Nov 28, 2023
USCIRF Releases Report on National Level Anti-Conversion Laws around the World
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Compendium of National Anti-…