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…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2002
Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27
WASHINGTON - Religious-freedom conditions in Turkmenistan are extremely poor and respect for freedom of religion there is…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 12, 2003
Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is deeply concerned over the recent passage of a harshly…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 7, 2004
Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) will hold two public, on-the-record briefings on "…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2004
Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27
WASHINGTON - "The Commission believes that Turkmenistan should be designated a ‘country of particular concern' (CPC)…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 22, 2005
Contact: Julia Leikin (202) 775-3240
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) invite you to a public briefing on…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 8, 2005
Contact:
Anne Johnson, Director of Communications, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) calls on Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dec. 20, 2007
Contact:
Judith Ingram, Communications Director,
(202) 523-3240, ext. 127
WASHINGTON-The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is calling for reform of Turkmenistan's repressive…
...that Turkmenistan is the most closed of the post-Soviet countries?Since 2007, Turkmenistan has been led by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The country’s first president who died in 2006, Saparmurat Niyazov, oversaw one of the world’s most…
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…
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…
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…
Jul 26, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WASHINGTON D.C. -- The Kazakh government reportedly soon will try two activists for their religious freedom-related activities. Atheist blogger Aleksandr Kharlamov, 63, had been held for four…
Aug 22, 2013
FOR YOUR INFORMATIONAugust 21, 2013 | By Robert P. George and Katrina Lantos Swett
The following op-ed appeared in The Washington Post on August 21, 2013.
Although religious freedom is a pivotal human right,…
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,…
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,…
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…
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
Oct 17, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 17, 2019
USCIRF Releases New Reports on Malaysia, Kazakhstan and Iran
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)…
Jun 24, 2020
This op-ed originally appeared on Eurasianet, on June 24, 2020.
By USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and Commissioner Gary Bauer
The government of Turkmenistan is one of the most repressive regimes in the…
Aug 13, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIRF Releases New Report about Religious Prisoners in Turkmenistan’s Gulag
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the…
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…
Read the full report here.
Turkmenistan is one of the most consistent violators of religious freedom. USCIRF has recommended Turkmenistan as a Country of Particular concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) since 2000. Since…
Read the full Issue Update:
The Global Persecution of Jehovah's Witnesses
This update describes official discrimination against Jehovah’s Witnesses around the world, with a particular focus on countries where members have been imprisoned for…
Nov 10, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 10, 2020
USCIRF Releases New Report about Global Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today…
Click here to view the report Violating Rights: Enforcing the World’s Blasphemy Laws
USCIRF’s groundbreaking report examines the enforcement of blasphemy laws worldwide. Blasphemy laws criminalize expressions that insults or offends religious doctrines.…
Apr 21, 2021
USCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. Policy
No Longer Recommends Three Countries for Special Watch List
Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom…
May 11, 2021
USCIRF Welcomes Amnesty of Jehovah’s Witness Prisoners in Turkmenistan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomed the presidential pardon of all 16 Jehovah’s Witness conscientious…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:USCIRF recommends that the State Department redesignate Turkmenistan as a CPC under IRFA.
Actions…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Lift the waiver on taking action as a consequence of Turkmenistan’s CPC designation to hold the government of…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Identify Turkmenistan government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom…
Status: partially_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Press for at the highest levels and work to secure the immediate release of individuals imprisoned for…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Ensure continued U.S. funding for Radio Azatlyk, the Turkmen service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL),…
Status: partially_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Redesignate Turkmenistan as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, for engaging in systematic,…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Impose targeted sanctions on Turkmenistani government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations…
Status: partially_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Press at the highest levels to secure the identification and immediate release of individuals imprisoned…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Redesignate Turkmenistan as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing,…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Take presidential action to limit security assistance to Turkmenistan under IRFA Section 405(a)(22) to hold…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Impose targeted sanctions on Turkmenistan government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations…
Status: partially_implemented
Year:
Country: Turkmenistan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Urge the government of Turkmenistan to provide a civilian alternative to military service and to release…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Prioritize religious freedom and related human rights into the U.S.-Kazakhstan Strategic Partnership Dialogue and…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Repeal or amend its religious registration laws, which are frequently used to harass and prosecute religious…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: Other Governments
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Strategy:USCIRF advocates this recommendation with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.--Kazakhstan Religious Freedom…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: Other Governments
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Provide an alternative to military service for conscientious objectors;
Strategy:USCIRF advocates this…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Encourage the Kazakhstani government to open the Congress of the Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Ensure continued U.S. funding for Radio Azattyq, the Kazakh service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), so…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Include Kazakhstan on the State Department’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Open the Congress of the Leaders of the World and Traditional Religions to representatives of all faiths in…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Ensure continued U.S. funding for Radio Azattyq, the Kazakh service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, to allow for…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: U.S. Department of State
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Include Kazakhstan on the State Department’s Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating violations…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Kazakhstan
Recommended To: The Administration
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Continue engaging with the Kazakhstani government through the U.S.-Kazakhstan Religious Freedom Working Group to…