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…
May 30, 2025
The governments of Central Asia—that is Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan—influenced by decades of Soviet rule, maintain similar legislation to combat “extremism.” Each of these governments uses these laws…
Religious freedom violations and the targeting of religious identities can play a significant role in elevating the risk of mass killings and atrocities. In fact, more than half of the top 30 countries most at risk of mass killings are identified in…
Sep 9, 2025
Promoting Religious Freedom is a Vital Atrocity Prevention ToolWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on the link between atrocity prevention and international religious…
Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela are the most clearly authoritarian states in Latin America and the region’s most flagrant FoRB violators. All three countries use similar methods of repressing religious freedom, including harassment of religious…
Nov 18, 2025
A Triad Repressing Religious Freedom is Led by Three Latin American Authoritarian GovernmentsWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report: Patterns of Religious…
Nov 21, 2025
Cuba and Nicaragua have ranked among the world’s most repressive governments toward religious freedom for years. In 2025, exiles and civil society organizations reported continuing severe restrictions on religious communities, including…
Dec 18, 2025
Since 2012, USCIRF has recommended Tajikistan for designation as a Country of Particular Concern for the government’s egregious, ongoing, and systematic violations of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB). Among the particularly severe…
Apr 17, 2026
In Central Asia, independent media plays an essential role in shedding light on freedom of religion of belief (FoRB) violations. As a result, Central Asian governments attempt to silence independent journalists and bloggers to conceal…