Displaying results 1 - 100 of 1728

CIRF Urges Laos, N. Korea, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 31, 2000 Contact: Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240 (202) 523-3240 (202) 523-3240 The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom wrote Friday, July 28 to Secretary of State Madeleine…
In Russia, 'Liquidating' Churches - The Washington Post
Nov 14, 2000 The Washington Post November 14, 2000 By Elliott Abrams An amendment signed into law by Russian President Vladimir Putin threatens the "liquidation" of thousands of religious groups at the end of…
Public Hearing: Religious Freedom in North Korea
Longworth House Office Building, Room 1302Photo Gallery: Commission members (left to right): Richard D. Land, Firuz Kazemzadeh, Bishop William Francis Murphy, Felice D. Gaer, Executive Director Steven T. McFarland,…
Religious Freedom and U.S. Foreign Policy (Moscow)
Presented by Commissioner Richard D. Land United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Religion, Politics, and Human Rights Russian Academy of Public Service Moscow, Russia March 18, 2002 Introduction Russia has been traveling…
3/18/2002 Religious Freedom and U.S. Foreign Policy (Moscow)
"Religious Freedom and U.S. Foreign Policy" Presented by Commissioner Richard D. Land United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Religion, Politics, and Human Rights Russian Academy of Public Service Moscow, Russia…
North Korea: Human Rights Ground Zero:
University of California at Los Angeles January 27, 2004 Transcript Welcome and Introductory Remarks - Michael K. Young, Commission Chair and Dean, George Washington University Law School Oral Testimony Panel One Roger…
Press Conference on North Korea Report: "Thank You Father Kim Il Sung"
U.S. COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM "THANK YOU FATHER KIM IL SUNG" November 15, 2005 Speakers: MICHAEL CROMARTIE, THE UNITED STATES COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM BISHOP RICARDO RAMIREZ, THE UNITED…
2/09/2006 Russia: USCIRF Commissioner Prodromou Gives Presentation in Moscow on Human Rights and Tolerance
As prepared Presented by Commissioner Elizabeth Prodromou United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Russian Presidential Administration's Academy of State Service, Moscow, Russia February 9, 2006 "Human Rights and…
Ensure Human Rights Are on the Agenda With North Korea, Commission Urges President
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 3, 2002 Contact: Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27 WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent federal agency advising the Administration…
Press Conference and Briefing on North Korea
Transcript Introductory Remarks by Chair Michael Cromartie Introductory Remarks by Commissioner Imam Talal Y. Eid Remarks by Chair Cromartie
Remarks by USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett at the Announcement of the Defending Freedoms Project
USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett made the following remarks at the announcement of the Defending Freedoms Project on December 6, 2012, a project of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with USCIRF and Amnesty International USA.  …
Did You Know...Russia
... that in 2012 Vladimir Putin signed into force five new Russian laws that restrict the civil and political rights of Russian civil society, including those of religious communities?Protests erupted across the Russian Federation, but particularly in…
Russia Policy Brief: Unruly State of Law -- January 2013
Click here to view January 2013 Policy Brief, Russia: Unruly State of Law.
Georgetown Journal of International Affairs -- Is Russia Becoming a Police State?
Feb 14, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONFebruary 14, 2013 | By Katrina Lantos Swett and Catherine Cosman The following op-ed appeared in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs on Wednesday, February 13, 2013. "Russia is now a…
Did You Know...North Korea
...that since 1945 North Korea’s once-diverse and vibrant religious community has largely disappeared?North Korea’s reactions to new sanctions, including its latest nuclear threats and declaration invalidating the 1953 Armistice ending the Korean War,…
The Guardian -- The Disturbing Persistence of Antisemitism in Europe
Apr 1, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATION By  USCIRF Chair Katrina Lantos Swett  Even as we prepare to mark Holocaust Remembrance Day, European society's dark past of bigotry haunts our present The following op-ed appeared…
Did You Know...Anti-Semitism
…that April 8 is Yom Ha Shoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, but acts of anti-Semitism still occur in Europe?In Russia, xenophobia and intolerance, including anti-Semitism, fuel hate crimes by skinhead groups. In Belarus, the anti-Jewish utterances of…
Did You Know...China
...that police detained over 900 people from Beijing’s Shouwang Church last year for trying to hold outdoor worship services? For the past two years, Shouwang members have tried to hold weekly services in Beijing parks only to face repeated detentions,…
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…
Did You Know...Russia's North Caucasus
...that Europe’s largest internal armed conflict is in Russia’s North Caucasus, particularly Dagestan and Chechnya? The conflict in Russia’s North Caucasus region is the largest internal armed conflict in Europe, pitting Russian government forces against…
Washington Post On Faith -- Honor U.S. values and interests: Back religious freedom abroad
May 14, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONMay 14, 2013 | By Katrina Lantos Swett The following was published in the Washington Post, On Faith on May 14, 2013. Fifteen years ago, on May 14, 1998, U.S. House of Representatives voted in…
USCIRF Welcomes IRF Report; Calls for CPC Designations
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…
Did You Know...Defending Freedoms Project
…that the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with USCIRF and Amnesty International USA, has launched the Defending Freedoms Project to increase attention to and support for human rights and religious freedom around the world?Through the…
CNN World/GPS -- Time to tear down the internet 'walls'
Jun 26, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONJune 26, 2013 |By Katrina Lantos Swett Editor"s note: Katrina Lantos Swett is the chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. The views expressed are the writer"s own. The…
USCIRF Concerned about Russian Blasphemy Bill and the Status of Freedoms of Religion and Expression
Jun 28, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 28, 2012 | By USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Russian State Duma on June 26 passed a controversial bill on "causing offense to the sentiments of religious believers." The bill now awaits only…
Did You Know...Uighur Muslims in China
...that Uighur Muslims experience some of the most severe religious freedom restrictions in China. In response to July 5, 2009 demonstrations that broke out after Uighur and Han Chinese men clashed in a factory dispute, the Chinese government expanded its…
CNN World/GPS -- U.S. should press China over Falun Gong
Jul 25, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONJuly 24, 2013 | By Katrina Lantos Swett and Mary Ann Glendon The following appeared in CNN World/GPS on July 23rd, 2013. Editor"s note: Katrina Lantos Swett is chairwoman of the U.S. Commission…
Moscow Times -- CIS has a Poor Record on Religious Freedom
Aug 15, 2013  FOR YOUR INFORMATION    August 15, 2013 | By  Katrina Lantos Swett  and  M. Zuhdi Jasser   The following op-ed appeared in  The Moscow Times  on August 15, 2013 | Issue…
The Christian Science Monitor -- As UN meets, apply pressure against blasphemy laws
Sep 25, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATION September 20, 2013 | By Robert P. George The following op-ed appeared in the Christian Science Monitor on September 20, 2013. As the UN General Assembly begins its new session,…
October 2013 Factsheet: China: 20 Questions on religious freedom for China's Universal Periodic Review
Click here to view the October 2013 Factsheet: China: 20 Questions on Religious Freedom for China's Universal Periodic Review
The Providence Journal -- Thanksgiving and Hanukkah spell re-dedication to religious freedom
Dec 3, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONDecember 2, 2013 | By Robert P. George The following op-ed appeared in the Providence Journal on November 30, 2013. Washington - As the nation celebrates Thanksgiving, Jewish Americans are also…
Reuters -- Human Rights Day: Still pursuing religious freedom
Dec 11, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATION December 11, 2013 | By Katrina Lantos Swett and Mary Ann Glendon The following op-ed appeared in Reuters & the Chicago Tribune on December 10, 2013. December 10 marks Human Rights Day,…
The Hill -- Congress can defend freedoms abroad
Jan 28, 2014 FOR YOUR INFORMATION January 27, 2014 | By  Robert P. George    The following op-ed appeared in  The Hill  on January 27, 2014. I testified before the Congressional Tom Lantos Human…
RUSSIA: An Expanding Net of Intolerance
Feb 5, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEFebruary 5, 2014 | USCIRF The upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics has thrust Russia into the world spotlight. The Kremlin’s increasing intolerance, however, deserves equal, if not greater, attention.…
China Criticized for Banning Ramadan Fast
Jul 7, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 7, 2014 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, DC – As Muslims around the world observe the holy month of Ramadan, Uighur Muslims in China face far-reaching restrictions on their religious practices. …
Religion News Service -- China’s grim religious freedom problem
Jul 30, 2014 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONJuly 30, 2014 | By Katrina Lantos Swett and M. Zuhdi Jasser The following op-ed appeared on RNS on July 29, 2014.  This op-ed also appeared in the Washington Post. While last month marked the…
China: USCIRF Condemns Harsh Sentence for Ilham Tohti
Sep 25, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 25, 2014 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns the life sentence handed down to respected Uighur Muslim scholar…
The Seattle Times -- World must pressure North Korea on human rights
Oct 27, 2014 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONOctober 27, 2014 | By Katrina Lantos Swett and Mary Ann Glendon The following op-ed appeared in The Seattle Times on October 24, 2014 NORTH Korea’s release of Jeffrey Fowle, imprisoned for leaving…
CHINA: USCIRF Condemns Arrest of Chinese Buddhist Leader Wu Zeheng and Detention and Mistreatment of Religious Leaders
Oct 30, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEOctober 30, 2014 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. -  The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the recent formal arrest of Wu Zeheng, also known as Buddhist Zen…
The Continued Need to Combat Anti-Semitism
Nov 10, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 10, 2014 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two anniversaries this month highlight the importance of continually confronting and combatting anti-Semitism wherever and whenever it arises.…
Defending Freedoms Project
In December 2012, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission, in conjunction with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and Amnesty International USA, launched the Defending Freedoms Project with the aim of supporting human rights and…
The Moscow Times -- Russia's Extremism Law Violates Human Rights
Dec 1, 2014 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONDecember 1, 2014 | By Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett and Dr. Robert P. George  The following op-ed appeared in The Moscow Times on November 26, 2014. The op-ed also appeared in the Kyiv Post.…
North Korea Must be Held Accountable for its Abysmal Human Rights Record
Dec 22, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 22, 2014 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today welcomed the UN General Assembly’s passage on December 18 of a resolution that…
...on China
The Chinese government continues to perpetrate particularly severe violations of religious freedom.  In May 2014, USCIRF released its 2014 Annual Report and again recommended that China be designated as a “country of particular concern,” or…
Al Jazeera America -- China must uphold religious freedom in new year
Feb 26, 2015 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONFebruary 26, 2015 | By Katrina Lantos Swett & Robert P. George The following op-ed appeared in Al Jazeera America on February 26, 2015.   By all accounts, the past year in China…
Foreign Affairs -- Losing Their Religion in Crimea
Apr 15, 2015
USCIRF Letter to Secretary Kerry on the Seventh Session of the U.S.-China Strategic & Economic Dialogue
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom sent the following letter to Secretary Kerry on June 18, 2015. The Honorable John F. Kerry Secretary of State U.S. Department of State Washington, DC 20520   Dear Secretary Kerry: I write…
China: Ramadan Restrictions Violate Religious Freedom
Jun 18, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 18, 2015 For Uighur Muslims in China’s autonomous region of Xinjiang, observing Ramadan – a month-long period of introspection, fasting, prayer, and devotion – is difficult, if not…
Philadelphia Inquirer -- Dalai Lama's message; our nation's creed
Jul 6, 2015 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONJuly 6, 2015 | Robert P. George and Katrina Lantos Swett The following op-ed appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer on July 5, 2015 Today, July 6, the Dalai Lama of Tibet, a modern-day exemplar of…
The Moscow Times -- Russia Should Embrace Its Religious Diversity
Jul 27, 2015 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONJuly 27, 2015 | By: M. Zuhdi Jasser and Katrina Lantos Swett The following op-ed appeared in The Moscow Times on July 26, 2015 How will Europe's human rights court respond to a…
CHINA: USCIRF Calls on the Release of Ilham Tohti and other Prisoners of Conscience
Sep 22, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESeptember 22, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) solemnly marks the one-year anniversary of the life sentence handed down to Chinese Uighur…
The Philadelphia Inquirer -- Threats to religious freedom
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…
Atlantic Council -- Made in Moscow: Religious Freedom Abuses Continue in Crimea and Eastern Ukraine
Oct 14, 2015 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONOctober 14, 2015 | Mary Ann Glendon and Katrina Lantos Swett The following op-ed appeared in the Atlantic Council on October 14, 2015. This op-ed also appeared in Newsweek.  "We cannot stand…
Testimony of USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George on "The Crisis of International Religious Freedom"
USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George testified on October 27, 2015 before Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee at a hearing titled "The Global Crisis of Religious…
North Korea: USCIRF Urges Religious Freedom Be Included in UN Security Council Human Rights Meeting
Dec 9, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 9, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends the United States and eight other countries for requesting a meeting of the UN Security…
The National Interest -- Where Your Religion Can Still Send You to Jail
Dec 10, 2015 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONDecember 10, 2015 | Mary Ann Glendon and Katrina Lantos Swett The following op-ed appeared in The National Interest on December 10, 2015 December 10 marks Human Rights Day, the sixty-seventh…
USA Today - Remember the Holocaust by fighting anti-Semitism: Column
Jan 27, 2016 FOR YOUR INFORMATION January 27, 2016 | M. Zuhdi Jasser and Thomas J. Reese The following op-ed appeared in USA Today on January 27, 2016   As the United States and the world today mark International…
Crimea: Religious Freedom Abuses Must Stop
Mar 18, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 18, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two years ago today, Russia unlawfully annexed the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, cynically using the Orthodox “culture, civilization, and…
USCIRF Welcomes CPC Designations: Urges Additional Designations and Actions
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,…
USA Today -- Rampant religious persecution against atheists
May 4, 2016 FOR YOUR INFORMATION May 4, 2016 | Robert P. George and Hannah Rosenthal The following op/ed appeared in USA Today on May 3, 2016   Should it be a crime to deny the existence of God? In the Russian city…
CHINA: USCIRF Condemns the Government’s Ramadan Restrictions
Jul 6, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 6, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Muslims around the world mark the end of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr celebrations, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)…
RUSSIA: USCIRF Condemns Enactment of Anti-Terrorism Laws
Jul 8, 2016 Click here to view this press release in Russian.   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 8, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Russian President Vladimir Putin on July 7 signed into law a package of anti-terrorism…
Testimony of USCIRF Chair Thomas J. Reese, S.J., on "Blasphemy Laws and Censorship by States and Non-State Actors"
USCIRF Chair Thomas J. Reese, S.J. testified on July 15, 2016 before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing titled "Blasphemy Laws and Censorship by States and Non-State Actors: Examining Global Threats to Freedom of Expression." From the…
The Hill -- U.S must stop mistreating asylum seekers fleeing persecution
Aug 25, 2016 FOR YOUR INFORMATION August 25, 2016 | Kristina Arriaga and Rev. Thomas J. Reese, S.J. The following op/ed appeared in The Hill on August 25, 2016.   Many men, women, and children each year…
Religion News Service -- Today — of all days — remember the disappeared
Aug 30, 2016 FOR YOUR INFORMATION August 30, 2016 | Daniel I. Mark and Sandra Jolley The following op/ed appeared in Religion News Service on August 30, 2016   (RNS) Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was a 6-year-old boy when he…
CHINA: President Obama – Raise Religious Freedom on G20 Trip
Aug 31, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 31, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C. – Religious freedom conditions in China have deteriorated under the leadership of President Xi Jinping.  Given this deterioration, the U.S.…
Religion News Service: Empower women by standing for religious freedom
Dec 9, 2016 The following op-ed appeared in Religion New Service on December 9, 2016 By former USCIRF Commissioners Kristina Arriaga and John Ruskay   Pwint Phyu Latt is a Muslim peace activist in Burma who sought to…
RUSSIA: Russia Suspends Jehovah’s Witnesses
Apr 3, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 4, 2017 RUSSIA:  Russia Suspends Jehovah’s Witnesses USCIRF Condemns Actions That Would Eliminate the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Legal Existence in Russia Washington, D.C. –  Russia…
RUSSIA: Supreme Court Outlaws the Jehovah’s Witnesses
Apr 20, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2017 RUSSIA:  Supreme Court Outlaws the Jehovah’s Witnesses USCIRF Condemns Russian Supreme Court Decision Banning the Jehovah’s Witnesses WASHINGTON, D.C. –  The U.S.…
Open Letter from USCIRF Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee to the Panchen Lama on his Birthday (April 25)
Apr 25, 2017 Click here to read the Chinese translation of the letter. Click here to read the Tibetan translation of the letter.    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 25, 2017   OPEN LETTER FROM USCIRF…
Georgetown University Berkley Forum: Rising Tide of Religious Freedom Abuses Abroad
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…
The Philadelphia Inquirer: Russia escalates violations of religious freedom
Apr 28, 2017 The following op-ed appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on April 27, 2017 By former USCIRF Commissioners Thomas J. Reese and Daniel Mark   On April 26, the U.S. Commission on International…
RUSSIA: Release Bagir Kazikhanov
May 19, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2017   RUSSIA: Release Bagir Kazikhanov   USCIRF Commissioner John Ruskay tells the Russian Government to “Stop Equating Peaceful Religious Behavior with Terrorism…
CHINA: USCIRF Condemns Ramadan Restrictions in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region
Jul 5, 2017 Click here to see coverage from The Economist on USCIRF's press release. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 5, 2017 CHINA: USCIRF Condemns Ramadan Restrictions in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region “The Chinese government…
Testimony of Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee on "Tibet: Freedom of Religion"
USCIRF Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee testified on July 12, 2017 before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission at a hearing titled: "Tibet: Freedom of Religion." Commissioner Dorjee is the first Tibetan Buddhist appointed to serve on USCIRF and was…
Open Letter from USCIRF Vice Chair Sandra Jolley to Gulmira Imin on the 8th Anniversary of Her Arrest
Jul 13, 2017 Click here to read Vice Chair Jolley's letter to Gulmira Imin. Click here to read the Uyghur translation of the letter to Gulmira Imin   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 14, 2017   Open Letter from…
RUSSIA: Jehovah’s Witnesses Banned After Supreme Court Rejects Appeals
Jul 17, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 17, 2017 RUSSIA: Jehovah’s Witnesses Banned After Supreme Court Rejects Appeals USCIRF Condemns the Banning of the Jehovah’s Witnesses WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on…
Open Letter from USCIRF Commissioner John Ruskay to Bagir Kazikhanov
Jul 26, 2017 Commissioner John Ruskay sent the following letter to Russian religious prisoner of conscience Bagir Kazikhanov.Click here to read the Russian translation of the letter.       July 26, 2017…
USCIRF Condemns Egypt’s Deportation of Uighur Muslims to China
Aug 3, 2017 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 3, 2017   USCIRF Condemns Egypt’s Deportation of Uighur Muslims to China “These latest moves show a calculated indifference to the Uighur Muslim community” WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S…
Press Release: USCIRF Vice Chairwoman Kristina Arriaga Testifies Before the House Oversight Committee
Oct 11, 2017  USCIRF Vice Chairwoman Kristina Arriaga Testifies Before the House Oversight Committee Arriaga tells Members that religious freedom violations “have security implications for the United States"  …
Huffington Post: America Must Stand Up To China To Defend Human Rights In Tibet
Oct 12, 2017 The following op-ed appeared in Huffington Post on October 12, 2017 By former Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee and Congressman Jim Mcgovern   Imagine you are a 6-year-old. Your world is your family, friends…
The Diplomat: President Trump: Support Religious Freedom in China
Nov 1, 2017 The following op-ed appeared in The Diplomat on November 1, 2017   By former Commissioners Sandra Jolley and Tenzin Dorjee   As U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to travel to China in early…
The Hill: The List No One Wants to Be On
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,…
Atlantic Council: Another Missed Opportunity: Russia Evades Designation for Religious Repression
Jan 31, 2018 This Op-Ed appeared originally in the Atlantic Council's blog, UkraineAlert, on January 31, 2018. By Clifford D. May and Thomas J. Reese, S.J. (Atlantic Council) - In 2017, for the first time ever, the US…
Inventing Extremists: The Impact of Russian Anti-Extremism Policies on Freedom of Religion or Belief
Click here to view the report Inventing Extremists: The Impact of Russian Anti-Extremism Policies on Freedom of Religion or BeliefExecutive Summary The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commissioned this report to examine…
Testimony of Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee on Religious Freedom in Tibet
On February 14, 2018, Commissioner Dorjee testified before the Congressional-Executive Commission on China on religious freedom violations in Tibet.Written Testimony  Oral Statement Video Recording of the Hearing…
USCIRF Statement on Passing of Chinese Human Rights Lawyer Dr. Li Baiguang
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…
Open Letter from USCIRF Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee to the Panchen Lama on His 29th Birthday (April 25, 2018)
Apr 24, 2018 Click here for a Chinese translation of this letter Click here for a Tibetan translation of this letter FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 2018 Open Letter from USCIRF Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee to the Panchen Lama on…
CHINA: USCIRF Deeply Concerned About Increasing Repression of Uighur Muslims
May 14, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 14, 2018 CHINA: USCIRF Deeply Concerned About Increasing Repression of Uighur Muslims “The Chinese government’s restrictions on Uighur Muslims are an attempt to assimilate a besieged…
The Hill: Protecting Religious Freedom Provides Common Ground for All
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…
USCIRF Highly Concerned by Latest Chinese Government Abuses Against Religious Communities
Sep 11, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 11, 2018       USCIRF Highly Concerned by Latest Chinese Government Abuses Against Religious Communities USCIRF is highly concerned by reports of Chinese authorities’…
Vice Chair Arriaga Adopts Two Religious Prisoners of Conscience
Sep 26, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 26, 2018   Vice Chair Arriaga Adopts Two Religious Prisoners of Conscience Vice Chair Arriaga said, “These two cases are examples of the Russian government ‘securitizing’ religion…
Testimony of Chair Dorjee on Religious Freedom Abuses in China
On September 27, 2018, then Chair Tenzin Dorjee testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations at a hearing entitled, "China's War on Christianity and Other…
USCIRF Calls for Release of Prisoner of Conscience as White House Takes Harder Line on Religious Freedom Violations in China
Oct 5, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 5, 2018   USCIRF Calls for Release of Prisoner of Conscience as White House Takes Harder Line on Religious Freedom Violations in China   Christian Underground Church Leader Hu…
USCIRF Strongly Condemns Codification of Repression in Western China
Oct 16, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 16, 2018   USCIRF Strongly Condemns Codification of Repression in Western China “This is a deeply troubling development because it signals that the Chinese government believes it…
USCIRF Statement on Tomorrow’s Hearing of Russian Prisoner of Conscience Ivan Matsitsky
Nov 27, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 27, 2018     USCIRF Statement on Tomorrow’s Hearing of Russian Prisoner of Conscience Ivan Matsitsky WASHINGTON, DC – United States Commission on International Religious…
Religious Freedom and Related Human Rights in North Korea
Click here to view the Policy Update: Religious Freedom and Related Human Rights in North Korea
USCIRF Statement on Release of New Policy Update on Religious Freedom in North Korea
Nov 30, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 30, 2018   USCIRF Statement on Release of New Policy Update on Religious Freedom in North Korea WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (…