Displaying results 1 - 100 of 273

Jan 15, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONJanuary 14, 2013 | By Katrina Lantos Swett The following appeared in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs on January 14, 2013. Former Soviet prisoner and refusenik Natan Sharansky,…
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 20, 2013 FOR YOUR INFORMATION May 20, 2013| By William Shaw and M. Zuhdi Jasser , and Azizah al-Hibri When President Obama meets with President Thein Sein of Myanmar (Burma) today, he should emphasize…
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…
Click here to view the August 2013 Policy Brief, Burma: Implications of Religious and Ethnic Violence
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…
Jun 11, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 11, 2014 | USCIRF  Washington, D.C. – The draft of the ill-advised “Religious Conversion Law” which Burma’s parliament released for public comment would further restrict religious…
Aug 23, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEAugust 23, 2014 | USCIRF Statement of Commissioners M. Zuhdi Jasser and Eric P. Schwartz upon completing a five-day visit to Burma. This is our first Commissioner-level visit to the…
Click here to view the September 2014 Factsheet: Burma: USCIRF Examines Religious Freedom Violations During Fact-finding Trip to Burma
USCIRF’s report, “Burma: Religious Freedom and Related Human Rights Violations are Hindering Broader Reforms,” reflects findings from a Commissioner-level visit in August 2014.  In the report released in November, USCIRF urges the U.S.…
Oct 6, 2014 FOR YOUR INFORMATIONOctober 6, 2014 | By M. Zuhdi Jasser and Hannah Rosenthal The following op-ed appeared in The Detroit News on October 4, 2014. On Saturday we will witness a confluence of two holy days of…
Click here to view USCIRF's report, Burma: USCIRF Issues Report on Religious Freedom and Related Human Rights Violations.
Nov 10, 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 10, 2014  | USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. –  In the face of escalating violations worldwide of religious freedom, an initiative that the U.S. Commission on International…
Jan 22, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 22, 2015 | USCIRF WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) strongly condemns the package of race and religion bills that Burma’s parliament is…
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…
Nov 13, 2015 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASENovember 13, 2015 WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) calls on the government of Burma to protect religious and ethnic minorities during the post-…
Apr 14, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 14, 2016   WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) sends warm New Year’s greetings to the people of Burma and urges the new government…
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,…
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…
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…
Click here to view the English versionClick here to view the Burmese version The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has monitored religious freedom conditions in Burma (also known as Myanmar) since the Commission first began…
English version Burmese version Each year since 1999, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Burma as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for its systematic,…
Dec 13, 2016 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 13, 2016                      WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released…
 December 13, 2016 USCIRF at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. publicly released two reports highlighting Burma’s serious religious freedom challenges: Hidden Plight: Christian Minorities in Burma and Suspended in Time: The…
Burma Chapter - 2017 Annual Report Burmese Translation
The report documents ASEAN’s and the Member States’ approaches to the freedom of religion or belief, underscores the religious freedom-related chal­lenges in the region that transcend country borders, and emphasizes the strategic importance of robust U.S…
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"  …
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,…
Click here to view the April 2018 Country Update, Burma: Insights from USCIRF’s Visits to Burma and Bangladesh
Oct 9, 2018 This op-ed originally appeared in The Christian Post on September 18, 2018. By Tenzin Dorjee and Nadine Maenza It has been more than a year since Burmese authorities began a brutal campaign…
Oct 31, 2018  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 31, 2018   Burma Not Safe for Returning Rohingyas, Warns USCIRF WASHINGTON, DC — Responding to the recent announcement by the governments of Burma and Bangladesh that…
Dec 3, 2018 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 3, 2018   USCIRF Presses for Targeted Sanctions for Atrocities Committed Against Burma’s Rohingya Muslims and Other Religious and Ethnic Communities Call comes days before…
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…
 Burma Chapter - 2019 Annual Report Burmese Translation
Host: Anurima Bhargava, Commissioner Country Expert: Tina Mufford, Deputy Director of Research and Policy
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
Jul 18, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 18, 2019   USCIRF Responds to Travel Ban on Burmese Military Officials   WASHINGTON, DC – On Tuesday, the State Department designated four Burmese military leaders as…
Aug 23, 2019 USCIRF Statement on UN Report of “Genocidal Intent” by Burmese Military in Sexual Violence Against Rohingya Muslims and Others WASHINGTON, DC -- In response to a report released yesterday by United…
Aug 23, 2019 This op-ed was originally published by Inter Press Service, on August 26, 2019. By Nadine Maenza and Anurima Bhargava Monsoon season is currently wreaking havoc on the more than 911,000 Rohingya refugees displaced…
Jul 24 WHEN: Jul 24th 1:00pm - Jul 24th 1:00pm…
Jan 08 WHEN: Jan 8th 1:30pm…
Dec 11, 2019 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 11, 2019 USCIRF Applauds Sanctions against Senior Burmese Military Officials WASHINGTON, DC—The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the…
Jan 23, 2020 USCIRF Applauds International Court’s Ruling on Measures to Protect Rohingya in Burma WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) applauds today’s ruling by the…
Read the full report here.This report is an examination of religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua following the outbreak of anti-government protests in April 2018 that continue to occur around the country. Throughout this political crisis, the Catholic…
Mar 11, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  March 11, 2020 USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Conditions in Nicaragua Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today…
Mar 12, 2020 USCIRF Releases New Factsheet on International Crimes Against the Rohingya of Burma Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new factsheet on accountability for…
This factsheet provides an overview of the legal accountability processes for alleged international crimes – including genocide and crimes against humanity – committed against the Rohingya in Burma, implications of these actions, and possible outcomes.…
Mar 27, 2020 USCIRF Alarmed by Worsening Conditions in Rakhine State Following International Court Ruling Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed its alarm over the…
Apr 17, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 17, 2020 USCIRF Welcomes Release of Hundreds of Imprisoned Rohingya in Burma, Calls for More to be Released Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF…
Jul 20, 2020 This op-ed was originally published by The Washington Examiner, on July 20, 2020. By USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and USCIRF Vice Chair Tony Perkins In Iraq, the 50th Brigade of the Popular Mobilization Forces has…
Jul 28, 2020 This op-ed originally appeared in The Diplomat, on July 28, 2020. By USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and Commissioner James W. Carr Several airlines offer direct flights from Burma to Malaysia, but many Rohingya…
USCIRF ADVOCATE: Daniel Mark Advocacy: Press Release: BURMA: Interfaith Prisoners of Conscience Pwint Phyu Latt and…
Title 2026 Annual Report - Burma Chapter File Upload USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Burma.pdf Language English Year 2026…
Title 2026 Annual Report - Nicaragua Chapter File Upload USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Nicaragua.pdf Language English Year 2026…
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…
Aug 25, 2020 USCIRF Urges Justice for the Rohingya People on Third Anniversary of Genocidal Campaign Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today marked the third anniversary of…
Nov 06 WHEN: Nov 6th 2:00pm…
Jun 25 WHEN: Jun 25th 1:00pm…
Jul 25 WHEN: Jul 25th 5:00pm - Jul 25th 7:00pm…
Jul 16 WHEN: Jul 16th 4:00pm - Jul 18th 2:00pm…
Aug 27 WHEN: Aug 27th 1:00pm…
Click here to view the Rohingya Refugees Factsheet.   This factsheet highlights the conditions of Rohingya refugees in Southeast Asia. While the majority of Rohingya refugees have fled from Burma to Bangladesh, a significant number have escaped to…
Oct 8, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   USCIRF Releases Factsheet on Rohingya Refugees in Southeast Asia Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a new report on…
Oct 21 WHEN: Oct 21st 10:00am - Oct 21st 11:30am…
Dec 28, 2020 USCIRF Troubled with the Relocation of Rohingya Refugees to Bhasan Char Island Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed its concern over reports that…
Feb 2, 2021 USCIRF Worried about Violence against Rohingya and other Religious Communities Following Military Coup in Burma The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned about the…
Feb 4, 2021   As the Biden administration begins to formulate its broader human rights policy, USCIRF highlights several priority countries when it comes to international religious freedom. Condemning and preventing…
Feb 25, 2021 On February 1, 2021, the Burmese military declared the results of the November 2020 democratic elections to be invalid, enacted a one-year state of emergency, and detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and…
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…
View the 2021 Annual Report          
May 12 WHEN: May 12th 10:30am - May 12th 12:00pm…
Apr 30, 2021 The program to resettle refugees to the United States has existed since 1980, with strong bipartisan support. Earlier this month, President Biden signed an emergency declaration to speed up refugee admissions into…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: White House Source: 2019 Annual Report Recommendation:Reinstate the designation of a National Emergency with respect to Burma—terminated by executive order in October 2016—pursuant to…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2019 Annual Report Recommendation:Support efforts to collect, preserve, and analyze evidence of the crimes and atrocities committed in Rakhine State, Kachin…
Status: implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department, Treasury Department Source: 2019 Annual Report Recommendation:Continuing to impose targeted sanctions on members of Burma’s military, security forces, and nonstate actors…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2019 Annual Report Recommendation:Actively supporting and cooperating with the UN’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar;
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2019 Annual Report Recommendation:Pursuing with international partners a tribunal for both state and nonstate actors accused of serious crimes under…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2019 Annual Report Recommendation:Bringing a case before the International Court of Justice based on Burma’s violations of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention…
Status: partially_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2019 Annual Report Recommendation:Work with the government of Burma, representatives from all religious communities (including leaders and laypersons),…
Status: implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2020 Annual Report Recommendation:Redesignate Burma as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department, Treasury Department Source: 2020 Annual Report Recommendation:Impose targeted sanctions on Burmese government agencies and officials responsible for severe violations…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: White House Source: 2020 Annual Report Recommendation:Reinstate the designation of a National Emergency with respect to Burma—terminated by executive order in October 2016—pursuant to…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2020 Annual Report Recommendation:Actively support efforts to hold Burmese officials accountable through the international legal system, including assisting and…
Status: implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: U.S. Congress Source: 2020 Annual Report Recommendation:Provide increased funds for assistance programs to support atrocity prevention and response efforts in Burma.
Status: implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2021 Annual Report Recommendation:Redesignate Burma as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of…
Status: partially_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department, Treasury Department Source: 2021 Annual Report Thematic Area: Sanctions Recommendation:Impose targeted sanctions on Burmese military and government…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2021 Annual Report Recommendation:Definitively and publicly conclude whether the ongoing and severe atrocities committed by the Burmese military meet the legal…
Status: not_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: State Department Source: 2021 Annual Report Recommendation:Actively support efforts to hold Burmese officials accountable through the international legal system, including assisting and…
Status: partially_implemented Year: Country: Burma Recommended To: U.S. Congress Source: 2021 Annual Report Recommendation:Provide increased funds to support atrocity prevention programs and response efforts to address the dire humanitarian…
Jul 28 WHEN: Jul 28th 10:30am - Jul 28th 12:00pm…
Aug 25, 2021 USCIRF Calls for Justice on Fourth Anniversary of Genocidal Campaign Against Rohingya Muslims Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today marked the fourth…
Aug 25, 2021 On August 25, 2017, the Burmese military, known as the Tatmadaw, launched a genocidal campaign in Rakhine State against the largely Muslim Rohingya community. The United Nations Independent Investigative Mechanism…
Sep 30 WHEN: Sep 30th 11:00am - Sep 30th 12:00pm…
This country update assesses religious freedom conditions in Burma since the military coup on February 1, 2021. On February 1, 2021, the Burmese military—known as the Tatmadaw—launched a coup to overturn election results that would have locked them out…
Nov 4, 2021 USCIRF Releases New Report on Burma Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report: Burma Country Update – This country update…