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November 07, 2019
Host: Gayle Manchin, Vice ChairSubject Experts: Zack Udin and Kirsten Lavery
For more information, please contact Henry Young at hyoung@uscirf.gov.
October 21, 2015
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 Freedom Report (IRF Report) for 2014. The IRF Report is required by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the same law that established USCIRF.
“The IRF Report is a comprehensive resource documenting religious freedom violations in almost 200 countries and territories and highlighting some of the thousands of prisoners of conscience who languish unjustly in prisons around the world solely because of their religion or belief,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George. “We commend the State Department, particularly the Office of International Religious Freedom, led by Ambassador-at-Large David Saperstein, for the significant effort that went into compiling this report,” said Chairman George.
IRFA also requires the United States annually to designate as “countries of particular concern,” or CPCs, those governments that “engage in or tolerate” systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, and to take action to encourage improvements in each CPC country. IRFA provides a range of options for such action, from bilateral agreements to sanctions. “Now that the IRF Report has been released, the next step is for the State Department to promptly designate the worst violators as CPCs and to leverage those designations to press for much-needed reforms in those countries,” said Chairman George.
In July 2014, the State Department designated nine nations as CPCs under IRFA: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. USCIRF’s 2015 annual report, released in April, recommended that these countries be re-designated as CPCs, and also called for eight additional designations: Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, and Vietnam.
“USCIRF urges the State Department to continue the current nine CPC designations,” said Chairman George. “We also urge the State Department to further expand its CPC list to reflect the severe violations occurring in other countries, such as Pakistan, which USCIRF has called the worst situation in the world for religious freedom for countries not currently designated by the U.S. government as CPCs,” said Chairman George. “The just-released IRF Report leaves no doubt that the egregious nature of the violations in Pakistan warrant a CPC designation,” continued Chairman George.
Read USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov or 202-786-0615.
May 21, 2013
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 Report.
"USCIRF congratulates the State Department - particularly its Office of International Religious Freedom and Ambassador-at-Large Suzan Johnson Cook -- for its admirable work reporting on the many ways religious freedom is violated around the world,” said USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett. "Given that religious freedom conditions are deteriorating in many countries, the State Department's extensive documentation of the nature and extent of these violations is especially important. The next crucial step is for the Secretary of State to promptly designate the worst violators as "countries of particular concern,” or CPCs, under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA).”
IRFA requires the United States annually to designate as CPCs those governments that "engage in or tolerate” systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, and to take action to encourage improvements in each CPC country. IRFA provides a range of options for such action, from bilateral agreements to sanctions. However, the United States has not made CPC designations since August 2011.
"Prompt CPC designations will send the signal that the United States prioritizes religious freedom. These designations, followed up with vigorous U.S. diplomatic activity, also provide the U.S. government with an effective tool to help end abuses and promote this fundamental human right,” continued Lantos Swett.
Prompt CPC designations are also vital because sanctions on the currently-designated CPCs will expire in August 2013. "Allowing sanctions to expire would send the inaccurate message that religious freedom is improving in those countries or that religious freedom is not important to U.S. foreign policy. That message would be especially misguided given the severity of the violations in many nations that top the U.S. foreign policy agenda, and the strong correlation between religious freedom, stability and security,” said Lantos Swett.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently released its own Annual Report which highlights the status of religious freedom globally and identifies those governments that are the most egregious violators. In its Report, USCIRF recommended that the State Department again designate the following eight countries as CPCs: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan. USCIRF also found that seven other countries meet the CPC threshold and should be so designated: Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner please contact USCRIFat (202) 523-3258 or media@uscirf.gov
April 20, 2016
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, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as “countries of particular concern,” or CPCs, under the International Religious Freedom Act, and the designation for the first time of Tajikistan as a CPC.
“USCIRF welcomes the designation of these ten countries. The CPC designation shines a spotlight on the “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” violations of the freedom of religion or belief that are taking place in these nations. However, the Secretary also waived imposing any consequences on Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan. The CPC designation brings with it a unique toolbox of policy options to effectively promote religious freedom, and USCIRF encourages the Administration to use these tools,” said Robert P. George, USCIRF’s Chairman.
While commending the addition of Tajikistan, USCIRF has concluded that the CPC list should be expanded to include seven other countries: Central African Republic, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, and Vietnam. USCIRF also urges that waivers be limited to a set period of time and subject to review for renewal.
For more information about the CPC mechanism and implementation of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA), please see USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov or 202-786-0615.
April 30, 2013
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 Act (IRFA) to monitor religious freedom abuses abroad, today released its 2013 Annual Report. The Report highlights the status of religious freedom globally and identifies those governments that are the most egregious violators.
"The state of international religious freedom is increasingly dire due to the presence of forces that fuel instability. These forces include the rise of violent religious extremism coupled with the actions and inactions of governments. Extremists target religious minorities and dissenters from majority religious communities for violence, including physical assaults and even murder. Authoritarian governments also repress religious freedom through intricate webs of discriminatory rules, arbitrary requirements and draconian edicts,” said Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett, USCIRF's Chair.
The 2013 Annual Report recommends that the Secretary of State re-designate the following eight nations as "countries of particular concern” or CPCs: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan. USCIRF finds that seven other countries meet the CPC threshold and should be so designated: Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam.
"The Annual Report ultimately is about people and how their governments treat them. Violations affect members of diverse religious communities around the world, be they Rohinghya Muslims in Burma, Coptic Christians in Egypt, Buddhists, Uighur Muslims and Falun Gong in China, Baha'is in Iran, Ahmadis and Christians in Pakistan, or Muslims in Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan and in non-Muslim nations like Russia. We recommend that the White House adopt a whole-of-government strategy to guide U.S. religious freedom promotion and that Secretary of State Kerry promptly designate CPCs, before currently designated actions expire later this year,” said Lantos Swett.
In Burma, ongoing political reforms have yet to significantly improve the situation for freedom of religion and belief. Sectarian violence and severe abuses of religious freedom and human dignity targeting ethnic minority Christians and Muslims continue to occur with impunity.
In Egypt, despite some progress during a turbulent political transition, the government has failed or been slow to protect from violence religious minorities, particularly Coptic Christians. The government continues to prosecute, convict, and imprison individuals for "contempt” or "defamation” of religion, and the new constitution includes several problematic provisions relevant to religious freedom.
In both Pakistan and Nigeria, religious extremism and impunity have factored into unprecedented levels of violence that threaten the long-term viability of both nations. Targeted violence against Shi'i Muslims in Pakistan is pervasive, while repeated Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria exacerbate sectarian tensions.
"Many of these countries top the U.S. foreign policy agenda, and religion is a core component in their makeup. Successful U.S. foreign policy recognizes the critical role religious freedom plays in each of these nations and prioritizes accordingly. Religious freedom is both a pivotal human right under international law and a key factor that helps determine whether a nation experiences stability or chaos,” said Lantos Swett.
USCIRF also announced the placement of eight nations on its Tier 2 List for 2013. The Tier 2 category replaces the Watch List designation USCIRF previously used. These nations are: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Cuba, India, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Laos and Russia. USCIRF found the violations these governments engage in or tolerate are particularly severe, and meet at least one criterion, but not all, of IRFA's three-fold "systematic, ongoing, egregious” CPC standard.
In Russia, religious freedom conditions suffered major setbacks in the context of growing human rights abuses. In Indonesia, the country's rich tradition of religious tolerance and pluralism is seriously threatened by arrests of individuals the government considers religiously deviant and violence perpetrated by extremist groups. Federal and provincial officials, police, courts, and religious leaders often tolerate and abet the conduct of religious freedom abusers.
The USCIRF report also highlights the status of religious freedom in countries/regions that do not meet the Tier 1 (CPC) or Tier 2 threshold. These include: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Belarus, Ethiopia, Turkey, Venezuela and Western Europe. The Annual Report also addresses in-depth thematic issues: Constitutional Changes; Severe Religious Freedom Violations by Non-State Actors; Laws against Blasphemy and Defamation of Religions; Imprisonment of Conscientious Objectors; Legal Retreat from Religious Freedom in Post-Communist Countries; Kidnapping and Forced Religious De-Conversion in Japan; and Religious Freedom Issues in International Organizations.
ABOUT USCIRF
USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government advisory body with its commissioners appointed by the President and the leadership of both political parties in Congress. The 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) requires that the United States annually designate as CPCs countries whose governments have engaged in or tolerated systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of the universal right to freedom of religion or belief. IRFA also tasks USCIRF with assessing conditions in these and other countries and making recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
In accordance with IRFA, USCIRF uses international standards, as found in UN conventions and declarations, for assessing religious freedom conditions.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner please contact USCRIF at (202) 523-3258 or media@uscirf.gov
February 02, 2015
Feb 2, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 2, 2015 | USCIRF
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Reports of pre-election violence, combined with rising societal and political tensions, increase the likelihood of religiously-motivated violence around Nigeria’s February 14 presidential elections, warns the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
“We welcome Secretary of State John Kerry’s timely trip to Nigeria in January. His warning to presidential candidates Goodluck Jonathan and Mohammadu Buhari that the United States will withhold visas to persons who engage in, plan, and/or perpetrate electoral violence sends a strong message in support of peaceful elections,” said USCIRF Chair Dr. Katina Lantos Swett. “Every effort needs to be undertaken to ensure peaceful elections and prevent the use of religion to stir up more violence. The events leading up to and immediately following February 14 are crucial to Nigeria’s long-term stability and status as a multi-religious and multi-ethnic society.”
Concerns of electoral violence along Muslim-Christian lines are compounded by the horrific attacks perpetrated by Boko Haram. This violent Islamist insurgency has now displaced one million people and controls large sections of the northeast of the country. The terrorist organization’s escalating attacks and the Nigerian government’s inadequacy in responding to them create a difficult and volatile environment for the upcoming elections. There are serious concerns that these factors will negatively impact the voting process and could lead to questions of electoral credibility, further putting Africa's most populous country at grave risk.
USCIRF has warned for almost a year that the presidential elections again are becoming a flashpoint for religiously-motivated violence. The April 2011 electoral violence in Nigeria’s north and Middle Belt states started as political, but quickly became religious in nature. Three days of rioting left more than 800 dead (500 in Kaduna alone, with the vast majority being Muslims), 65,000 displaced, and 430 churches destroyed. Earlier this month, USCIRF issued a Factsheet on Religion and Nigeria’s 2015 Presidential Elections, highlighting the potential for electoral and sectarian violence as the elections near. With only weeks before the contest, reports are increasing of pre-election violence and threats directed at the candidates, parties, and their supporters.
“Unless Nigerian leaders take concrete steps to prevent electoral violence and calm their supporters, these elections could be more violent than those in 2011,” said USCIRF Chair Lantos Swett. “The potential for violence is increasing almost daily.”
USCIRF calls on Nigeria’s political parties to hold responsible their members who issue statements inciting violence along religious lines, and Nigeria’s police and judiciary to impartially hold accountable all perpetrators of electoral violence.
USCIRF has recommended the U.S. government designate Nigeria a “country of particular concern” since 2009. The government of Nigeria continues to tolerate systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom affecting all Nigerians, both Christian and Muslim. For many years, the government has failed to bring those responsible for sectarian violence to justice, prevent and contain acts of such violence, or prevent reprisal attacks. As a result since 1999, more than 18,000 Nigerians have been killed in sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians. Boko Haram, a militant group that espouses an extreme and violent interpretation of Islam, benefits from this culture of impunity and lawlessness as it exploits Muslim-Christian tensions and seeks to destabilize Nigeria.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov or 202-786-0613.
February 28, 2018
Feb 28, 2018
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) mourns the sudden passing of Chinese human rights lawyer Dr. Li Baiguang, a devoted advocate for religious freedom who represented falsely accused Chinese pastors and others targeted for exercising their right to freedom of religion or belief. USCIRF fondly remembers meeting Dr. Li, and our thoughts are with his family. The legacy of his brave work and passion for human rights will live on.
April 03, 2015
Apr 3, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 3, 2015 | USCIRF
Calls on President-Elect to Govern Inclusively and Address Inter-Faith Tensions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) congratulates the people of Nigeria on peaceful national elections held on March 28. The historic elections led to Nigeria’s first democratic transfer of power between parties and fears of inter-religious violence were unrealized. Opposition candidate Major General (ret.) Muhammadu Buhari was declared the presidential winner on March 31. USCIRF also applauds President Goodluck Jonathan’s gracious acknowledgement of defeat.
“Nigerians and democracy are the real winners of these elections, which we hope signals the end of identity politics,” said USCIRF Chair Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett. “President-elect Buhari’s outreach to a diverse cross-section of Nigerians transcended many regional and religious fissures that long have characterized Nigerian politics. Now the hard work begins to govern inclusively, address inter-faith tensions, and confront Boko Haram.
“President-elect Buhari should seize this moment to help Nigeria tackle regional and religious differences and tensions by engaging in reconciliation with his opponents and their supporters,” said Lantos Swett. “Reconciliation is essential for Nigeria to address the sectarian and religious freedom issues confronting the nation.”
This change in leadership comes at a challenging time for Nigeria given the need to address insecurity, endemic corruption, inequality, and strains on the economy partly due to falling oil prices and a devalued currency.
Tackling the continuing Boko Haram insurgency that has killed more than 8,300 persons in 2014 and 2015 will be one of the president-elect’s primary responsibilities. USCIRF reiterates that efforts to confront Boko Haram must respect the human rights of citizens in affected areas. Additionally, any campaign to stop Boko Haram also must address the underlying conditions that have contributed to the radicalization of individuals, allowing the group and others like it to grow and operate.
President-elect Buhari also will need to address government failure to hold perpetrators of Muslim-Christian violence in the Middle Belt accountable, state-level religious discrimination laws, deteriorating inter-faith relations, and other religious freedom related issues. Since 1999, sectarian violence in Nigeria, particularly in the Middle Belt states, has resulted in more than 18,000 people killed, hundreds of thousands displaced, and thousands of churches, mosques, businesses, homes, and other structures damaged or destroyed.
USCIRF has recommended since 2009 that the State Department designate Nigeria as a “country of particular concern” (CPC). For more information about Nigeria see the Nigeria chapter in USCIRF’s 2014 Annual Report.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov or 202-786-0613.
September 23, 2013
Sep 23, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 23, 2013| By USCIRF
USCIRF Letter to President Obama on Upcoming Meeting with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) sent the following letter to President Obama on September 23, 2013:
The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
On behalf of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), I write regarding your upcoming meeting with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. USCIRF has reported on religious freedom conditions in Nigeria since 2004, and we remain deeply concerned about the high levels of sectarian violence and impunity for such violence in that country. We respectfully urge you, Mr. President, to strongly address with President Jonathan the importance of the Nigerian government arresting and prosecuting the perpetrators of sectarian violence. The Nigerian government's overreliance on the use of force to tackle communal and Boko Haram violence and its failure to promote rule of law and human rights will only further destabilize this important ally.
In 2009, USCIRF first recommended that Nigeria be named a "country of particular concern” or CPC for tolerating ongoing, egregious, and systematic religious freedom violations. We continue to make this recommendation. Our primary concern continues to be the Nigerian government's failure, at all levels, to hold perpetrators of Muslim-Christian communal violence accountable, leading to a culture of impunity. While other causes factor into the violence in areas of conflict, religion is a significant catalyst and is often misused by politicians, religious leaders, or others for political gain. Since 1999, more than 14,000 have been killed in Muslim-Christian violence, but USCIRF has confirmed only 200 persons have been found guilty for perpetrating these attacks. In our recent annual report we recommended the U.S. government enter into a binding agreement with the Nigerian government to assist it in holding perpetrators of this violence accountable, developing conflict prevention and early warning mechanisms, and professionalizing the police force to combat sectarian violence.
This culture of impunity has a direct correlation to the urgent matter of Boko Haram's destabilizing presence and activities in Nigeria's north and Middle Belt. Boko Haram frequently attacks churches in predominantly Christian areas in Bauchi, Jos, Kaduna, and Kano, which exacerbates already existing Muslim-Christian tensions and encourages further violence. We fully agree with Undersecretary of State Wendy Sherman's recent comments in Abuja that the Nigerian government needs to include prosecution of Boko Haram members as part of a comprehensive strategy to tackle this threat to the country's stability.
In USCIRF's view, Nigeria has the capacity to address communal, sectarian and Boko Haram violence by enforcing the rule of law and making perpetrators accountable through the judicial system, and not relying solely on a counterterrorism strategy involving the security services. Such an approach would help Nigeria realize lasting progress, security, stability, and prosperity as a democracy. The United States can play an important role in encouraging and increasing the capacity of the Nigerian judiciary to undertake this kind of response.
We stand ready to assist efforts to advance freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.
Sincerely,
Robert P. George
Chairman
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at (202) 523-3258 or media@uscirf.gov.
July 17, 2015
Jul 17, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJuly 17, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Hundreds of people have been killed in Boko Haram terrorist attacks throughout northern Nigeria and in sectarian violence in the Middle Belt during the past two months. The July 20 meeting in Washington D.C. between President Barack Obama and Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari offers both nations the opportunity to reinvigorate their commitment to, and develop initiatives that would, help curb both types of violence.
“We are extremely concerned by Boko Haram’s senseless killing of innocent people, the targeting of worshippers, and the destruction of houses of worship,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George. “This increase in violence has left more than 300 dead since the beginning of July and is a stark reminder that Boko Haram is a destabilizing force in Nigeria and the region.”
Presidents Buhari and Obama will be discussing ways to tackle Nigeria’s multiple security, corruption, and development challenges. “USCIRF welcomes the Administration’s calls for the Nigerian government to comprehensively address these challenges. We urge that these discussions focus on improving civilian security from Boko Haram’s attacks and the long-standing herder-farmer sectarian violence. Such discussion should urge the Nigerian government to respect human rights during military and police responses and ensure justice for victims. Addressing the issues of radicalization, northern socio-economic disparities, land conflicts, displacement, and reconciliation also are crucial to helping ensure security and ending the violence,” said George.
USCIRF has documented an increase in Boko Haram attacks since the start of Ramadan. Of particular concerns are the attacks on houses of worship, including: three mosques attacked in early July that killed more than 150 people in Borno and Plateau states Eid al-Fitr celebrations bombed on July 16 in Damaturu and Gombe that killed at least 60; 32 churches burned on July 5 in Borno; the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Potiskum bombed, also on July 5, with 5 people killed, including the priest; and the ECWA church in Jos attempted bombing on July 12. In addition to the Boko Haram attacks, hundreds more have been killed since Buhari’s election this past April in violence by predominately Muslim herders against predominately Christian farmers throughout the Middle Belt.
USCIRF has recommended since 2009 that Nigeria be designated a “country of particular concern” for systemic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations. A USCIRF delegation’s visit to Abuja and Kaduna from May 9 through May 16 reinforced these concerns which include Boko Haram’s terrorist attacks against Christians and Muslims, recurring sectarian violence, and escalating interfaith tensions. While the Nigerian federal government does not engage in religious persecution, it fails to implement effective strategies to prevent or stop terrorism or sectarian violence and does not bring to justice those responsible for such violence. The Nigerian government’s almost exclusively military approach to Boko Haram contributes to ongoing terrorism in the country. Boko Haram exploits sectarian fissures to manipulate religious tensions and destabilize Nigeria.
For more information, see the Nigeria Chapter in USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report.
To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at media@uscirf.gov or 202-786-0613.