Hearings on Religious Persecution in Sudan
February 15, 2000
(Note: These are unedited and uncorrected transcripts)
Commission members (left to right) Firuz Kazemzadeh, Nina Shea, Executive Director Steven McFarland, Chair David Saperstein, Vice…
...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…
...that Sudan repeatedly has used its apostasy law over the past two years against Christians and Muslims?Apostasy is the formal abandonment, or renunciation, of a religious faith. Under Article 126 of Sudan’s 1991 Criminal Act, apostasy from Islam is…
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…
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 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…
...that approximately 500,000 South Sudanese in Sudan are stateless?The status of South Sudanese in Sudan became precarious after South Sudan achieved independence on July 9, 2011. While South Sudan has offered citizenship to Sudanese residents, the…
Nov 8, 2013
FOR YOUR INFORMATIONNovember 7, 2013 | By Dr. Katrina Lantos Swett
The following op-ed appeared in the Christian Science Monitor on November 7, 2013.
As the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the assassination of…
The Sudanese government’s imposition of Shari’ah countrywide in 1983, including on the predominantly animist and Christian South, significantly contributed to the onset of Sudan’s 20 year North-South civil war. Today, concerns about Shari’ah being central…
Nov 27, 2013
FOR YOUR INFORMATIONNovember 26, 2013 | By Robert P. George
The following op-ed appeared in the Washington Times on November 25, 2013.
WASHINGTON,November 24, 2013 - Earlier this fall, a Sudanese business owner and…
May 16, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMay 16, 2014 | USCIRF
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns the death sentence against Meriam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag, a Sudanese Christian woman…
Jun 25, 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 25, 2014 | USCIRF
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is gravely concerned about the Sudanese government’s arrest of Meriam Ibrahim Ishag on document…
USCIRF Vice Chair Dr. Zuhdi Jasser testified on July 23 before the Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights, and International Organizations of the House Foreign Affairs Committee at a hearing entitled “The Troubling Case of Meriam…
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…
Jun 1, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJune 1, 2015
Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns the continuing prosecution of Rev. Yat Michael and Rev. Peter Reith who face the death…
Aug 6, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 6, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom welcomes yesterday’s release from detention of Rev. Yat Michael Ruot and Rev. Peter Yein Reith. Rev.…
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…
Dec 21, 2015
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEDecember 21, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned the Sudanese government for charging 25 Muslims with apostasy and public…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
Jun 22, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 22, 2017
SUDAN: USCIRF Urges Secretary of State to Maintain Sanctions
“Sudan has not shown sufficient progress on allowing greater religious freedom”
WASHINGTON, D.C. –…
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom sent the following letter to Secretary Tillerson on May 30, 2017. Click here to read a PDF version of the letter.
The Honorable Rex Tillerson
Secretary of State
2201 C Street, NW…
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,…
Oct 7, 2017
USCIRF Chairman Mark says “Sudan is an egregious violator of religious freedom”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is disappointed by the decision to permanently…
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.…
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…
Jan 28, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 28, 2019
USCIRF Denounces Violence Against Demonstrators in Sudan
WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned…
Jun 18, 2019
For Immediate Release June 18, 2019
USCIRF Encouraged by Appointment of Special Envoy to Sudan, Urges Close Scrutiny of Religious Freedom During Transition
Washington, DC -- In response to an…
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
Aug 17, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 16, 2019
USCIRF Applauds Sanctions on Salah Gosh for Gross Human Rights Violations
WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, August 14, 2019, the U.S. Department of State publicly…
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…
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
…
Mar 2, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 2, 2020
USCIRF Delegation Travels to Sudan to Assess Post-Revolution Progress toward Greater Religious Freedom
Washington, DC – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (…
Mar 16, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 17, 2020
USCIRF Commends Sudan’s Disbanding of Former Regime-Appointed Church Councils
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends…
May 5, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 5, 2020
USCIRF Commends the Criminalization of FGM in Sudan
Washington, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomed the decision of the Sudanese transitional…
Jun 4, 2020
This op-ed was originally published by Deseret News, on June 4, 2020.
By USCIRF Chair Tony Perkins and Vice Chair Gayle Manchin
Sitting across the table from Sudan’s new prime minister, Abdalla Hamdok, in…
Jun 7, 2020
This op-ed originally appeared on Newsweek
By USCIRF Chair Tony Perkins and Vice Chair Gayle Manchin.
From the coronavirus pandemic to the use of surveillance, freedom of religion or belief…
Jun 29, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIRF Applauds the U.S. Government Pledge to Support the Democratic Transition in Sudan
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) commends the U.S.…
Jul 15, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIRF Applauds Sudan’s Repeal of Apostasy Law through Passage of New Fundamental Rights and Freedoms Act
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (…
Aug 13, 2020
This op-ed originally appeared in the Washington Examiner, on August 13, 2020.
By USCIRF Vice Chairs Tony Perkins and Anurima Bhargava
Earlier this year, we joined hundreds gathered under a large tent outside…
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…