Search
Displaying results 1 - 95 of 95
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 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…
The Christian Science Monitor -- JFK's call for religious freedom can transform places like Pakistan
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…
Click here to view the November 2013 Policy Brief,Sudan's Enduring Question: The Role of Shari'ah in the Constitution and Law
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…
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.…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Jun 24
WHEN:
Jun 24th 6:59pm…
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…
Jul 24
WHEN:
Jul 24th 1:00pm
-
Jul 24th 1:00pm…
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
…
Feb 11
WHEN:
Feb 11th 10:30am…
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…
Title
Sudan Chapter - 2020 Arabic Translation
File Upload
Sudan_Arabic.pdf
Language
Arabic
Year
2020…
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…
Dec 10
WHEN:
Dec 10th 9:30pm…
Aug 05
WHEN:
Aug 5th 10:30am…
Sep 4, 2020
USCIRF Releases New Policy Update Highlighting One Year of Progress Advancing Religious Freedom in Sudan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the…
Click here for the Sudan Policy Update
The Sudanese transitional government has made a number of significant religious freedom reforms during the past year. This policy update examines religious freedom conditions in Sudan after the 2019…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIRF Releases New Policy Update Highlighting One Year of Progress Advancing Religious Freedom in Sudan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new…
This factsheet explores the role that religion plays in escalating violence committed by and against Fulani communities in west and central Africa. Predominantly Muslim and historically associated with cattle herding and livestock rearing, Fulani…
Oct 1, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
USCIRF Releases New Report about Religious Tensions and Fulani Communities in West and Central Africa
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)…
Oct 30, 2020
Sudan has been in the news most recently with the announcement by the United States government of its intent to remove Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. In this week's USCIRF Spotlight, we explore…
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.…
Nonbelievers in Africa Factsheet – This factsheet assesses conditions for nonbelievers in Africa, which includes those who identify as atheist, agnostic, freethinker, humanist, secularist, and individuals who do not identify with any religion. Evidence…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: U.S. Department of State
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Sanctions Sudanese government officials responsible for religious freedom violation
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: U.S. Department of State
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Appoint a Special Envoy to Sudan and South Sudan and ensure that religious freedom is a priority for that office…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: Sudanese Government
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Repeal apostasy, blasphemy, and other laws violating freedom of religion or belief and related human rights…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: Sudanese Government
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Press Sudan to lift government prohibitions on church construction, issue permits for the building of new churches,…
Status: partially_implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: U.S. Department of State
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Revive and strengthen the Commission on the Rights of Non-Muslims to protect religious freedom for non-…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: Sudanese Government
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Hold accountable any person who engages in violations of freedom of religion or belief
Actions Taken:Sudan…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: Congress
Source: 2019 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Draft and pass a resolution to condemn religious freedom and related human rights violations committed by the Sudanese…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: U.S. Department of State
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Maintain Sudan as Special Watch List
Actions Taken:The State Department maintained Sudan on the…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: USAID
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Provide funding to the Ministry of Education
Actions Taken:USAID pledged a total of $356 million to support Sudan's…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: USAID
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Allocate funding to Sudan's transitional government
Strategy:USAID pledged a total of $356 million to support Sudan's…
Status: implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: U.S. Department of State
Source: 2020 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Create a high-level international advisory body for human rights and encourage Sudan to invite the United Nations (…
Status: not_implemented
Year:
Country: Sudan
Recommended To: U.S. Department of State
Source: 2021 USCIRF Annual Report
Recommendation:Remove Sudan as Special Watch List
The Sudanese military takeover on October 25, 2021, dissolved the civilian-led government and arrested key civilian officials. This policy update highlights challenges to advancing religious freedom in Sudan, including the threat to this progress…
Nov 18, 2021
USCIRF Releases New Policy Update on Preserving Religious Freedom in Sudan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Sudan…
Apr 26, 2022
On April 25, 2022, USCIRF released its 2022 Annual Report, which documents developments in international religious freedom from 2021. The report provides recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s promotion…
Sep 14, 2023
USCIRF Releases Updated Blasphemy Factsheet and Blasphemy Law Compendium
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released two new reports:
Legislation Factsheet on Blasphemy – This…
In October 1998, the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) elevated freedom of religion or belief as a U.S. foreign policy priority. This landmark law mandates that U.S. policy include condemning violations of religious freedom abroad and assisting…
Nov 09
WHEN:
Nov 9th 3:30pm
-
Nov 9th 4:30pm…
This report provides an overview of religious freedom conditions in the Sahel region of Africa and highlights recent developments. The report evaluates the three countries of Sudan, Mali and Niger and discusses violent extremist groups, the fragility of…
Nov 14, 2023
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom in the Sahel Region of Africa
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following new report on religious freedom conditions in the…
This report documents the text of the 73 national anti-conversion laws on the books around the world. In total, 46 countries have at least one national anti-conversion law in force. Four types of national anti-conversion laws are documented: anti-…
Jan 23, 2024
USCIRF Calls for Greater Protection of Religious Sites in Conflict Areas
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) calls on all parties to armed conflicts around the world to abide by…
Apr 19, 2024
USCIRF Sounds Alarm for Attacks Against Religious Communities in Sudan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is concerned by the devastating violence perpetrated by the Sudanese Armed Forces…
This report provides an overview of international humanitarian law’s protections for religious sites in conflict zones. The Geneva Conventions and their accompanying Protocols establish that religious sites may not be used for military purposes or…
May 14, 2024
USCIRF Releases New Report on Protection of Religious Sites During Armed Conflict
Washington, DC –The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Protection of Religious Sites…
Since April 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have entrenched Sudan in a brutal civil war. Both sides have committed atrocities and human rights violations that have impacted Sudanese civilians. Religious freedom…
Aug 8, 2025
USCIRF Releases Report on Religious Freedom Violations Amid Sudan’s Two-Year ConflictWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on Sudan:Sudan’s War and Its Implications for…
Aug 19, 2025
Sentencing of Baha’i Leader in Qatar – A Systematic PatternWashington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) condemns last week’s five-year sentence by a Qatari court falsely charging Baha’i leader Remy…
Aug 29, 2025
Religious freedom concerns are increasing in Sudan’s current brutal civil war. There are increasing reports of attacks on places of worship and other incidents that violate freedom of religion or belief. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF)…
Oct 3, 2025
The U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, often referred to as the IRF Ambassador, plays a vital role in the U.S. government’s promotion of international religious freedom. Pursuant to the International Religious…
Oct 20, 2025
Torture and Ill Treatment are Tools of Violating Religious FreedomWashington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on religious freedom and torture:…
Governments around the world continue to breach international law by engaging in torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment (“ill treatment”) of individuals. In promoting international religious freedom, the U.S. government is required to…
Oct 27, 2025
USCIRF Marks 27th Anniversary of the International Religious Freedom ActWashington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today marks the 27th anniversary of the International Religious Freedom Act (…
This report describes serious violations to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) conditions in three Sahelian countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Chad. These countries suffer some of the world’s highest death rates from nonstate actor violence, which…
Oct 30, 2025
Nonstate Actors’ Violence is Driving Religious Freedom Violations in Africa’s Sahel RegionWashington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report: Freedom of…
Dec 3, 2025
This op-ed was originally published by The Washington Times on December 3, 2025.By U.S. Representative French Hill and USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed ElsanousiSudan’s devastating war slipped almost entirely off the global agenda in recent months—…
Title
2026 Annual Report - Libya Chapter
File Upload
USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Libya.pdf
Language
English
Year
2026…
Title
2026 Annual Report - Qatar Chapter
File Upload
USCIRF 2026 Annual Report Qatar.pdf
Language
English
Year
2026…