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...that the Eritrean government, one of the most repressive governments in the world where a recent coup attempt just failed, has placed Eritrean Orthodox Church Patriarch Abune Antonios under house arrest since January 2006?Eritrea has been called the…
Click here to view USCIRF's report, Promoting and Protecting Religuous Freedom in Syria .
Apr 19, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal agency created to monitor religious freedom abuses abroad and make policy recommendations to the…
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…
May 16, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 16, 2013 | By USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C.- The two-year armed conflict in Syria has left at least 80,000 people dead and more than 5 million displaced. In his May 13, 2013 press conference with…
May 21, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 21, 2013 | By USCIRF
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today welcomed the State Department's release of its 2012 International Religious Freedom…
Click here to view the July 2013 Factsheet: Syria’s Refugee Crisis and its Implications
Jan 15, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 14, 2014| USCIRF
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today urged the U.S. government to emphasize the plight of religious minorities and the protection of…
Jan 20, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 20, 2015 | USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This January marks the eighth anniversary of the illegal removal of Eritrean Orthodox Patriarch Abune Antonios from his position as head of the…
Feb 27, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 27, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns the abduction of more than 200 Assyrian Christians by militants of the…
Mar 16, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMarch 16, 2015 | USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 15 marked the 4th anniversary of the protests in Damascus, Aleppo and Daraa which set the stage for the Syrian conflict. On this sad…
Aug 18, 2015
FOR YOUR INFORMATIONAugust 18, 2015 | Robert P. George and Thomas J. Reese
The following op-ed appeared in The Christian Science Monitor on August 18, 2015
Is Eritrea guilty of crimes against humanity?
The question…
Sep 28, 2015
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
September 28, 2015 | Daniel I. Mark and Katrina Lantos Swett
The following op-ed appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on September 27, 2015
Washington hosted two dramatically…
Oct 21, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 21, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomed the October 14 release by the U.S. State Department of its International Religious…
Nov 30, 2015
FOR YOUR INFORMATIONNovember 30, 2015 | M. Zuhdi Jasser and Katrina Lantos Swett
The following op-ed appeared in The Christian Science Monitor on November 30, 2015
Pope Francis arrived yesterday in the troubled…
Dec 1, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 1, 2015
USCIRF Calls for Continued Syrian Refugee Resettlement
Rigorous individualized vetting allows the United States to both welcome Syrian refugees and protect security.…
Dec 7, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 7, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today issued the following statement:
USCIRF calls on the U.S. government to…
Jan 19, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2016
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) solemnly marks the 10 year anniversary tomorrow of the illegal removal and detention of Eritrean…
Mar 14, 2016
For Immediate Release
March 14, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 15 marks the 5th anniversary of the peaceful protests that set the stage for the Syrian conflict. This conflict has spawned a…
Mar 18, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MArch 18, 2016
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the State Department’s decision proclaiming that groups including Yazidis,…
Apr 20, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes Secretary of State John Kerry’s re-designation on April 15, 2016 of Burma,…
USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George testified on Tuesday, April 19, 2016 before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing entitled "Confronting the Genocide of Religious Minorities: A Way Forward."From the testimony:
"USCIRF in 2015 called on the U…
Oct 27, 2016
FOR YOUR INFORMATION
October 27, 2016 | By Thomas J. Reese, S.J. and Daniel Mark
The following op-ed appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on October 27, 2016
Abdul Shakoor is a member of the…
Nov 10, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON, D.C. – As coalition forces begin the liberation of Mosul, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) notes that November 13 is the one-year…
Jan 18, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – January 20, 2017 marks the 11-year anniversary of the Eritrean government’s illegal removal of Abune Antonios as the rightful Patriarch of the…
Mar 15, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2017
WASHINGTON, D.C. – March 15 marks the 6th anniversary of the start of the Syrian conflict. Since the conflict began, an estimated 400,000 people have been killed;…
Apr 27, 2017
The following op-ed appeared in the Georgetown University Berkley Forum on April 26, 2017.
The op-ed also appeared in Religious Freedom Institute: Cornerstone.
By former USCIRF Commissioner Thomas J. Reese…
Jun 9, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIRF Commends House Passage of Genocide Accountability Act
Urges Senate Action
USCIRF declares that “the perpetrators of genocide must be held to account”
WASHINGTON, D.C. –…
Jul 19, 2017
The following op-ed originally appeared in Religion News Service on July 19, 2017
By former USCIRF Commissioner Thomas J. Reese, S.J.
(RNS) — Stories speak to the best and worst in all of us,…
Sep 18, 2017
The following op-ed appeared in The Hill on September 18, 2017
By former USCIRF Commissioners Sandra Jolley and Jackie Wolcott
Addressing religious freedom violations is always hard, but when…
Oct 5, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 5, 2017
H.R. 390: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes Genocide Bill
USCIRF Chairman Mark calls committee action “a key step toward helping victims of ISIS genocide”
…
Oct 19, 2017
The following op-ed appeared in The Washington Examiner on September 26, 2017
By former USCIRF Commissioner Thomas J. Reese
Torture. Arbitrary arrests and detention without charges. A ban…
Nov 16, 2017
The following originally op-ed appeared in The Hill on November 16, 2017
By former USCIRF Commissioners Daniel Mark and Sandra Jolley
People love lists. And when those lists are in the news,…
On April 18, 2018, Commissioner Father Thomas Reese testified before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing on the refugee crisis in Eritrea.In his testimony, Chair Reese discussed USCIRF's Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project.…
Jul 30, 2018
This op-ed originally appeared in The Hill on July 27, 2018.
By former USCIRF Commissioners Tenzin Dorjee and Kristina Arriaga
To the surprise of many, there is a foreign policy issue on which…
Nov 29, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 29, 2018
USCIRF Applauds Passage of H.R. 390 by Congress
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today applauded…
Dec 11, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2018
USCIRF Welcomes President Trump Signing the Iraq and Syria Genocide Emergency Relief and Accountability Act
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on…
Dec 12, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 12, 2018
State Department Names the World’s Worst Violators of Religious Freedom
USCIRF Praises CPC Designation of Pakistan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
Yes…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
Yes…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
Yes…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Orthodox
Reports of Medical Neglect:
Yes…
Jun 24
WHEN:
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
WHEN:
Jul 24th 1:00pm
-
Jul 24th 1:00pm…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Wengel Mermera Central Criminal Investigation Interrogation Center
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Protestant…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Wengel Mermera Central Criminal Investigation Interrogation Center
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Protestant…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Wengel Mermera Central Criminal Investigation Interrogation Center
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Protestant…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Wengel Mermera Central Criminal Investigation Interrogation Center
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Protestant…
Oct 9, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 9, 2019
USCIRF Statement on Turkish Offensive in Northeast Syria
WASHINGTON, DC – In response to news reports that Turkey has launched airstrikes on the border region of…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Adi Abeto Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness
Reports of Torture:
No…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Female
Current Location:
Adi Abeto Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Gender:
Male
Current Location:
Mai Serwa Prison
Perpetrator:
Eritrea
Religion or Belief:
Christian – Jehovah's Witness…
Host: Gayle Manchin, Vice ChairSubject Experts: Zack Udin and Kirsten Lavery
For more information, please contact Henry Young at [email protected].
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
…
Feb 11
WHEN:
Feb 11th 10:30am…
USCIRF ADVOCATE: Johnnie Moore
Advocacy:
Ope-Ed: Religion News Service -- Stripped of his title and illegally…
Jul 25, 2020
This op-ed originally appeared in Newsweek, on July 25, 2020.
By USCIRF Vice Chair Anurima Bhargava and Commissioner Nadine Maenza
As the world passively watches, Turkey is currently amassing troops on its…
USCIRF ADVOCATE: James W. Carr
Advocacy:
USCIRF Mourns the Passing of Patriarch Abune Antonios…
Aug 14, 2020
This op-ed originally appeared in The Globe Post, on August 14, 2020.
By USCIRF Vice Chairs Anurima Bhargava and Tony Perkins
Over half-a-million Central Africans remain displaced outside of their country,…
Title
2023 Annual Report - Central African Republic Chapter
File Upload
Central African Republic (CAR).pdf
Language
English
Year…
Title
2026 Annual Report - Eritrea Chapter
File Upload
USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Eritrea.pdf
Language
English
Year
2026…
Title
2026 Annual Report - Syria Chapter
File Upload
USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Syria.pdf
Language
English
Year
2026…
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…
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…