Shows
USCIRF Spotlight PodcastFindings from USCIRF’s Delegation to Central AsiaIn June 2025, USCIRF commissioners traveled to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan to assess religious freedom conditions. During the delegation, USCIRF confirmed that both governments continue to arbitrarily apply a broad and vague legislative framework to target peaceful religious activities of independent Muslims and religious minorities. In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State place Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan on the Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom.On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, Chair Vicky Hartzler, Vice Chair Asif Mahmood, and Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi share in more detail fin...
2025-12-3018 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastA Former Prisoner's Story and the Path to Religious Freedom in EritreaThe Eritrean government does not recognize religious communities other than the Tewahedo Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Evangelical Lutheran churches, along with Sunni Islam. As a result, there are dozens religious minorities including Jehovah’s Witnesses (including several religious leaders), Baptists, and Pentecostals currently incarcerated in Eritrea. Authorities pressure prisoners to renounce their faith and ban praying aloud, singing, preaching, and possessing religious books. In 1994, police abducted Jehovah’s Witness Negede Teklemariam for “conscientiously objecting to performing compulsory military service.” He remained in prison for 26 years without being formally charged. The government finally released him in 2020. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF r...
2025-10-1720 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe IRF Ambassador: A Key Component of U.S. Leadership on Religious FreedomThe 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 Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the IRF Ambassador is mandated to head the Office of International Religious Freedom, or IRF Office, at the State Department. Additional duties include serving as the principal adviser to the President and Secretary of State on matters involving religious freedom abroad and representing the United States on IRF matters diplomatically. In April, President Trump nominated Mark Walker as the next IR...
2025-10-0333 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom in Sudan: Navigating Instability and Civil WarReligious 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) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have entrenched Sudan in the war since April 2023. The subsequent four years of instability and violence have created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, placing civilians across religious, ethnic, and tribal distinctions under intense threat. Both sides have committed atrocities that the previous U.S. administration determined to be war crimes in December 2023 and as geno...
2025-08-2922 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastBlasphemy and FoRB in Nigeria: A Conversation with Mubarak BalaThe Nigerian federal government enforces blasphemy laws that include a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment for acts “persons consider as a public insult on their religion.” Twelve Nigerian state governments also enforce their own more stringent blasphemy laws to prosecute and imprison individuals perceived to have insulted religion, including Christians, Muslims, and humanists. There are now four Nigerians incarcerated and convicted of blasphemy, including two religious leaders. In 2021, police arrested humanist Mubarak Bala for “insulting the Prophet,” and in 2022, a court sentenced him to decades in prison. Following an international outcry, an appeals court reduced his sentence to five year...
2025-08-1830 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Status and Significance of CPC, SWL, and EPC Designations: A Conversation with Former USCIRF Chair Stephen SchneckOne of the most important elements of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 is the requirement for the U.S. Secretary of State to designate the world’s worst violators of religious freedom as Countries of Particular Concern and to enact accountability measures as a result of those designations. Subsequent legislation created a Special Watch List for other countries with significant violations and created a new category of Entities of Particular Concern for nonstate actors that commit such violations and control territory. However, the State Department last released its designations nearly two years ago, in December 2023—and they are now...
2025-07-3128 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Extensive Reach of Chinese Transnational RepressionChina has been described as the “most prolific,” “sophisticated, far-reaching, and comprehensive” perpetrator of transnational repression in the world. It has targeted many religious communities in diaspora, including Uyghur Muslims, Protestant Christians, Tibetan Buddhists, Falun Gong practitioners, and members of the Church of Almighty God. Specific transnational repression tactics used by the Chinese government include stalking, harassment, intimidation or threats, assault, kidnapping, forcing or coercing the victim to return to China, and threatening or detaining family members in China. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate China as a Country of Particular Concern...
2025-07-1414 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom as Syria Transitions After AssadAt the end of 2024, over thirteen years since the onset of Syria’s protracted civil war, the country’s political landscape dramatically shifted when a rebel coalition toppled the government of President Bashar al-Assad. Religious freedom conditions had suffered over the course of the civil war under a variety of state and nonstate actors. Now, in the months since the fall of the Assad regime, freedom of religion or belief faces ongoing nationwide challenges as Damascus continues its political transition under members of U.S.-designated terrorist organization HTS, itself a violator of religious freedom. Meanwhile, Turkey’s military strike...
2025-05-2327 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReflections on USCIRF's 2025 Trip to AzerbaijanThe religious freedom situation in Azerbaijan remains highly restricted. The government subjects virtually all religious practices to intrusive state oversight. Shi'a Muslims who do not operate within the government's preferred boundaries have faced imprisonment on dubious charges. Armenian religious sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions remain threatened since Azerbaijan regained control. In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State maintain Azerbaijan on the Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck, Commissioner Mohamed Elsanousi, and Com...
2025-05-1737 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe State of Religious Freedom in IndiaIn recent years, USCIRF has reported declining religious freedom conditions in India, as the government continues to enforce and strengthen legislation that disproportionately impacts religious minorities, including anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws. These laws often target Muslim and Christian communities. In its 2025 annual report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern. On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck joins Senior Policy Analyst Sema Hasan to discuss the decline of religious freedom in India with particular focus on legislation. ...
2025-05-0121 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe US-UK Special Relationship: FoRB in FocusOn today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck joins Senior Strategic Advisor Elizabeth Cassidy to reflect on his trip to the United Kingdom. Marked by a special relationship, the United States, and the United Kingdom, aim to place a special focus on international religious freedom. Chair Schneck discusses USCIRF’s key engagements held with government and civil society actors and highlights the UK’s leadership role in the space. Read USCIRF’s 2024 Annual ReportWith Contributions from:Elizabeth Cassidy, Senior Strategic Advisor, USCIRFVeronica...
2024-11-1522 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastResponses to Genocide: Two Former U.S. Officials Reflect on ISIS’s Genocide in Iraq and SyriaTen years ago, the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) launched a campaign of mass atrocities to achieve the religious and ethnic cleansing of religious minority groups in Iraq and Syria. In 2016, the U.S. State Department determined ISIS’s atrocities against Yazidis, Christians, and Shi’a Muslims constituted crimes against humanity and genocide. Ten years on, survivors face multiple threats to their religious freedom, security, and existence within their homelands.Today, Ambassador David Saperstein, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, and the Hon. Frank Wolf, former U.S. Representative (R-VA 10th...
2024-08-0933 minUSCIRF Spotlight Podcast10 Years On: Ongoing Threats to Religious Minority Survivors of ISIS’s GenocideTen years ago, the self-proclaimed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) launched a campaign of mass atrocities to achieve the religious and ethnic cleansing of Yazidis, Assyrian-Chaldean-Syriac Christians, Shi’a and Sunni Muslim Turkmens, Shabaks, and other religious minorities in Iraq and Syria. In 2016, the U.S. State Department determined ISIS’s atrocities against Yazidis, Christians, and Shi’a Muslims constituted crimes against humanity and genocide. In 2019, an international coalition defeated ISIS’s last territorial hold in Iraq and Syria. However, ten years on, survivors face multiple threats to their religious freedom, security, and existence within their homelands.
2024-08-0228 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF's Spirit of BipartisanshipIn 1998, Republicans and Democrats came together to pass the International Religious Freedom Act, creating USCIRF as an independent government Commission led by a bipartisan group of nine Commissioners appointed by both political party leaders in Congress, and by the president. Twenty-five years later, USCIRF’s Commissioners continue to lead the non-partisan staff to monitor egregious religious freedom violations around the world and to make independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck and Vice Chair Eric Ueland join us to d...
2024-07-0317 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastShortcomings of the State Department’s CPC DesignationsOne of USCIRF’s key functions is to make recommendations to the State Department about which countries we think should be designated as Countries of Particular Concern or CPCs, based on our independent research and analysis. Every year we await the State Department’s announcement of its religious freedom designations to assess how they match up with USCIRF’s recommendations. On today’s episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Abraham Cooper and Vice Chair Frederick A. Davie join us to discuss the State Department’s most recent CPC designations—specifically the countries we think should...
2024-01-2531 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastViolence Against Tribal Christians in Manipur, IndiaIn May 2023, violent clashes between two communities erupted in India’s Manipur state, leaving entire villages burned and displacing tens of thousands. The ongoing conflict is between the state’s majority Hindu Meitei community and the Christian Kuki population and has seen the direct targeting of religious symbols and places of worship and refuge. More than 250 churches of different denominations have been burned or damaged across the state. Religious freedom in India has declined in recent years, marked by the promotion and enforcement of discriminatory laws and practices that negatively impact the country’s minority Muslim...
2023-06-2215 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe State of Religious Freedom in AlgeriaIn recent years USCIRF has reported that religious freedom conditions in Algeria have continued to deteriorate with the government increasingly enforcing blasphemy laws and restricting worship. These laws particularly impact religious minorities, such as Protestant Christians and Ahmadiyya Muslims. In 2022, the U.S. Department of State placed Algeria on its Special Watch List (SWL), following USCIRF’s recommendation. USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst, Madeline Vellturo, joins Researcher, Hilary Miller, to discuss the continued decline of religious freedom in Algeria.Read USCIRF’s Law and Religion in Algeria FactsheetWith...
2023-02-1016 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF’s FoRB Victims List: Background and 2022 UpdatesIn 2016, Congress passed the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act which mandated that USCIRF maintain a list of individuals targeted for their religion or belief. In 2019, USCIRF launched its Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Victims List – an online database that catalogues persons detained, imprisoned, placed under house arrest, disappeared, forced to renounce their faith, and tortured for their religious belief, religious activity, and religious freedom advocacy. Since then, the FoRB Victims List has documented almost 2,000 victims with that number unfortunately continuing to grow.USCIRF Researcher, Dylan Schexnaydre, joins Research Analyst, Zack Udin, to di...
2023-01-1913 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastBreaking Down the State Department’s IRF DesignationsPursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the U.S. Department of State designates Countries of Particular Concern, places countries on its Special Watch List, and designates Entities of Particular Concern. As part of this mandate, USCIRF makes recommendations to the administration, including the State Department, regarding which countries and entities deserve designation on these three lists based on systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.On today’s 100th episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, USCIRF Chair Nury Turkel joins us to discuss the State Department’s most recent designations and assess how...
2022-12-1616 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReflecting on USCIRF’s Visit to Cox’s BazarIn November 2022, USCIRF visited Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh, to assess the current conditions and issues that Burmese Rohingya refugees are facing. The Rohingya community, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority from Burma, have long fled religious persecution to neighboring Bangladesh. However, the most recent waves of refugees came in August 2017 following wide-scale atrocities that the Burmese authorities and military, known as the Tatmadaw, committed against them. These atrocities forced over a million Rohingya to flee the country, with a majority now temporarily residing in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. In March 2022, the Biden administration designated these atrocities as genocide and crim...
2022-12-0926 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Legacy of Blasphemy Laws in Southeast AsiaSeven out of ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) nations have blasphemy laws currently enshrined in their legal codes. USCIRF’s recent issue update reviews these blasphemy laws and their enforcement within this region and highlights recent cases and provides analysis on related laws. Blasphemy is defined as “the act of insulting or showing contempt or lack of reverence for God or sacred things.” In particular, blasphemy laws remain an ongoing religious freedom violation in Indonesia and Malaysia as well as a potent tool for authoritarian and right-wing forces in Burma and Thailand. While many such la...
2022-10-2112 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDeteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in NicaraguaSince 2020, USCIRF has recommended that Nicaragua be included on the State Department’s Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. In 2022, the Nicaraguan government has greatly intensified its oppression of the Catholic Church. Last month, USCIRF released a Country Update on Nicaragua, which highlighted the persecution of the clergy and the elimination of Church-affiliated organizations.USCIRF Researcher, Zack Udin, the author of the new report, joins us today to discuss the deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua.Read USCIRF's 2022 Country Update on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua...
2022-09-0918 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDeteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in NicaraguaSince 2020, USCIRF has recommended that Nicaragua be included on the State Department’s Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. In 2022, the Nicaraguan government has greatly intensified its oppression of the Catholic Church. Last month, USCIRF released a Country Update on Nicaragua, which highlighted the persecution of the clergy and the elimination of Church-affiliated organizations.USCIRF Researcher, Zack Udin, the author of the new report, joins us today to discuss the deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua.Read USCIRF's 2022 Country Update on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua...
2022-09-0918 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDeteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in NicaraguaSince 2020, USCIRF has recommended that Nicaragua be included on the State Department’s Special Watch List for severe violations of religious freedom. In 2022, the Nicaraguan government has greatly intensified its oppression of the Catholic Church. Last month, USCIRF released a Country Update on Nicaragua, which highlighted the persecution of the clergy and the elimination of Church-affiliated organizations.USCIRF Researcher, Zack Udin, the author of the new report, joins us today to discuss the deteriorating religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua.Read USCIRF's 2022 Country Update on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua...
2022-09-0918 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Plight of Christians in ChinaIn its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended the U.S. Department of State redesignate China as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. While the U.S. government designated the Chinese government’s ongoing atrocities against Uyghurs as genocide, China continues to severely persecute many different religious groups throughout the country, including Catholic and Protestant Christians. Founder and President of the ChinaAid Association, Dr. Bob Fu, joins us today to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s sinicization policy, its treatment of various Christian communities, and other political...
2022-09-0224 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Plight of Christians in ChinaIn its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended the U.S. Department of State redesignate China as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. While the U.S. government designated the Chinese government’s ongoing atrocities against Uyghurs as genocide, China continues to severely persecute many different religious groups throughout the country, including Catholic and Protestant Christians. Founder and President of the ChinaAid Association, Dr. Bob Fu, joins us today to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s sinicization policy, its treatment of various Christian communities, and other political...
2022-09-0224 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Plight of Christians in ChinaIn its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended the U.S. Department of State redesignate China as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. While the U.S. government designated the Chinese government’s ongoing atrocities against Uyghurs as genocide, China continues to severely persecute many different religious groups throughout the country, including Catholic and Protestant Christians. Founder and President of the ChinaAid Association, Dr. Bob Fu, joins us today to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s sinicization policy, its treatment of various Christian communities, and other political...
2022-09-0224 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe 5th Anniversary of the Rohingya GenocideAugust 25 marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the Burmese military’s genocidal campaign against the Rohingya people. The violence resulted in thousands of Rohingya dead, hundreds of thousands internally displaced, and millions dispersed throughout the region. On March 21, 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. government had determined that the atrocities committed against the Rohingya by Burmese authorities constituted genocide. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to discuss the beginnings of the genocide, the situation of Rohingya inside and outside of Burma, and the steps the int...
2022-08-2520 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe 5th Anniversary of the Rohingya GenocideAugust 25 marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the Burmese military’s genocidal campaign against the Rohingya people. The violence resulted in thousands of Rohingya dead, hundreds of thousands internally displaced, and millions dispersed throughout the region. On March 21, 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. government had determined that the atrocities committed against the Rohingya by Burmese authorities constituted genocide. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to discuss the beginnings of the genocide, the situation of Rohingya inside and outside of Burma, and the steps the int...
2022-08-2520 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe 5th Anniversary of the Rohingya GenocideAugust 25 marks the fifth anniversary of the start of the Burmese military’s genocidal campaign against the Rohingya people. The violence resulted in thousands of Rohingya dead, hundreds of thousands internally displaced, and millions dispersed throughout the region. On March 21, 2021, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. government had determined that the atrocities committed against the Rohingya by Burmese authorities constituted genocide. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to discuss the beginnings of the genocide, the situation of Rohingya inside and outside of Burma, and the steps the int...
2022-08-2520 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastTroubling Signs of Religious Freedom in Sri LankaSri Lanka is an ethnically and religiously diverse country but has had a history of intercommunal violence, most recently heightened in the decade following the end of a civil war in 2009. Conflict among the various ethnic and religious groups has remained at a heightened level in recent years impacting political, social, and economic life in the country, including freedom of religion or belief. Although Sri Lanka is not currently among the countries designated as a Country of Particular Concern or included on the State Department’s Special Watch List, USCIRF has documented a number of the country’s deteriorating reli...
2022-08-1925 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastTroubling Signs of Religious Freedom in Sri LankaSri Lanka is an ethnically and religiously diverse country but has had a history of intercommunal violence, most recently heightened in the decade following the end of a civil war in 2009. Conflict among the various ethnic and religious groups has remained at a heightened level in recent years impacting political, social, and economic life in the country, including freedom of religion or belief. Although Sri Lanka is not currently among the countries designated as a Country of Particular Concern or included on the State Department’s Special Watch List, USCIRF has documented a number of the country’s deteriorating reli...
2022-08-1925 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastTroubling Signs of Religious Freedom in Sri LankaSri Lanka is an ethnically and religiously diverse country but has had a history of intercommunal violence, most recently heightened in the decade following the end of a civil war in 2009. Conflict among the various ethnic and religious groups has remained at a heightened level in recent years impacting political, social, and economic life in the country, including freedom of religion or belief. Although Sri Lanka is not currently among the countries designated as a Country of Particular Concern or included on the State Department’s Special Watch List, USCIRF has documented a number of the country’s deteriorating reli...
2022-08-1925 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Impact of Malaysia’s Dual Legal System on Religious FreedomMalaysia maintains a unique dual legal system divided into civil and religious courts. In recent decades, the influence of these religious courts, which are based on the Shaf’i school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, have grown, adversely impacting religious freedom. Since 2014, USCIRF has been reporting on Malaysia and most recently in 2022 recommended that the U.S. State Department place Malaysia on its Special Watch List (SWL) for religious freedom violations. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to provide an overview of Malaysia’s legal system and discuss some high-profile cases directly related to free...
2022-08-1119 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Impact of Malaysia’s Dual Legal System on Religious FreedomMalaysia maintains a unique dual legal system divided into civil and religious courts. In recent decades, the influence of these religious courts, which are based on the Shaf’i school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, have grown, adversely impacting religious freedom. Since 2014, USCIRF has been reporting on Malaysia and most recently in 2022 recommended that the U.S. State Department place Malaysia on its Special Watch List (SWL) for religious freedom violations. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to provide an overview of Malaysia’s legal system and discuss some high-profile cases directly related to free...
2022-08-1119 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastThe Impact of Malaysia’s Dual Legal System on Religious FreedomMalaysia maintains a unique dual legal system divided into civil and religious courts. In recent decades, the influence of these religious courts, which are based on the Shaf’i school of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence, have grown, adversely impacting religious freedom. Since 2014, USCIRF has been reporting on Malaysia and most recently in 2022 recommended that the U.S. State Department place Malaysia on its Special Watch List (SWL) for religious freedom violations. USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to provide an overview of Malaysia’s legal system and discuss some high-profile cases directly related to free...
2022-08-1119 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRussia’s Religious Freedom Violations in UkraineIn February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale and unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine, falsely claiming that it aimed to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country. While many people are broadly aware of the terrible toll that Russia’s war has wrought on civilians, there is less awareness about the religious ramifications of the Russian invasion.Ruslan Khalikov and Liliia Pidgorna, two scholars with the Workshop for the Academic Study of Religion in Ukraine, join us today to discuss the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on religious freedom.Read USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report...
2022-08-0422 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRussia’s Religious Freedom Violations in UkraineIn February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale and unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine, falsely claiming that it aimed to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country. While many people are broadly aware of the terrible toll that Russia’s war has wrought on civilians, there is less awareness about the religious ramifications of the Russian invasion.Ruslan Khalikov and Liliia Pidgorna, two scholars with the Workshop for the Academic Study of Religion in Ukraine, join us today to discuss the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on religious freedom.Read USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report...
2022-08-0422 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRussia’s Religious Freedom Violations in UkraineIn February 2022, Russia launched a full-scale and unprovoked military invasion of Ukraine, falsely claiming that it aimed to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country. While many people are broadly aware of the terrible toll that Russia’s war has wrought on civilians, there is less awareness about the religious ramifications of the Russian invasion.Ruslan Khalikov and Liliia Pidgorna, two scholars with the Workshop for the Academic Study of Religion in Ukraine, join us today to discuss the impact Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on religious freedom.Read USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report...
2022-08-0422 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastU.S. Policy Advances for International Religious Freedom Over the Past YearUSCIRF is mandated by Congress to make independent policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress that would help improve religious freedom around the globe. Each year, USCIRF proposes these recommendations in its annual report, highlighting country conditions and thematic challenges. How often are these recommendations acted upon by the U.S. government? USCIRF Supervisory Policy Advisor Jamie Staley joins us today to discuss some of USCIRF’s policy recommendations that the U.S. government has implemented over the last year.Check out USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report W...
2022-07-2824 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastU.S. Policy Advances for International Religious Freedom Over the Past YearUSCIRF is mandated by Congress to make independent policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress that would help improve religious freedom around the globe. Each year, USCIRF proposes these recommendations in its annual report, highlighting country conditions and thematic challenges. How often are these recommendations acted upon by the U.S. government? USCIRF Supervisory Policy Advisor Jamie Staley joins us today to discuss some of USCIRF’s policy recommendations that the U.S. government has implemented over the last year.Check out USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report W...
2022-07-2824 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastU.S. Policy Advances for International Religious Freedom Over the Past YearUSCIRF is mandated by Congress to make independent policy recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress that would help improve religious freedom around the globe. Each year, USCIRF proposes these recommendations in its annual report, highlighting country conditions and thematic challenges. How often are these recommendations acted upon by the U.S. government? USCIRF Supervisory Policy Advisor Jamie Staley joins us today to discuss some of USCIRF’s policy recommendations that the U.S. government has implemented over the last year.Check out USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report W...
2022-07-2824 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDeteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in South AsiaSeveral major political events occurred in South Asia over the last year. The Taliban, whom USCIRF has recommended for years as an “Entity of Particular Concern” (EPC), took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. In April 2022, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from office following political turmoil. And religious nationalist policies at both the state and national level in India continue to impact religious communities. Senior Policy Analyst Niala Mohammad joins us today to discuss recent developments in South Asia, their impact on religious freedom conditions, and USCIRF’s policy recommendations.Read U...
2022-07-2218 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDeteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in South AsiaSeveral major political events occurred in South Asia over the last year. The Taliban, whom USCIRF has recommended for years as an “Entity of Particular Concern” (EPC), took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. In April 2022, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from office following political turmoil. And religious nationalist policies at both the state and national level in India continue to impact religious communities. Senior Policy Analyst Niala Mohammad joins us today to discuss recent developments in South Asia, their impact on religious freedom conditions, and USCIRF’s policy recommendations.Read U...
2022-07-2218 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDeteriorating Religious Freedom Conditions in South AsiaSeveral major political events occurred in South Asia over the last year. The Taliban, whom USCIRF has recommended for years as an “Entity of Particular Concern” (EPC), took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. In April 2022, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed from office following political turmoil. And religious nationalist policies at both the state and national level in India continue to impact religious communities. Senior Policy Analyst Niala Mohammad joins us today to discuss recent developments in South Asia, their impact on religious freedom conditions, and USCIRF’s policy recommendations.Read U...
2022-07-2218 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom Takeaways on the Ground in NigeriaLast month, USCIRF traveled to Abuja, Nigeria and met with Nigerian and U.S. government officials, religious communities, civil society representatives, and human rights defenders to assess religious freedom conditions and discuss threats facing Nigerians of a range of faiths and worldviews. The trip came following the U.S. State Department’s November 2021 decision to remove Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of international religious freedom after designating it as a CPC for the first time in 2020. Commissioner Fred Davie, who led that that...
2022-07-1425 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom Takeaways on the Ground in NigeriaLast month, USCIRF traveled to Abuja, Nigeria and met with Nigerian and U.S. government officials, religious communities, civil society representatives, and human rights defenders to assess religious freedom conditions and discuss threats facing Nigerians of a range of faiths and worldviews. The trip came following the U.S. State Department’s November 2021 decision to remove Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of international religious freedom after designating it as a CPC for the first time in 2020. Commissioner Fred Davie, who led that that...
2022-07-1425 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom Takeaways on the Ground in NigeriaLast month, USCIRF traveled to Abuja, Nigeria and met with Nigerian and U.S. government officials, religious communities, civil society representatives, and human rights defenders to assess religious freedom conditions and discuss threats facing Nigerians of a range of faiths and worldviews. The trip came following the U.S. State Department’s November 2021 decision to remove Nigeria’s Country of Particular Concern (CPC) designation for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of international religious freedom after designating it as a CPC for the first time in 2020. Commissioner Fred Davie, who led that that...
2022-07-1425 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastConditions for Religious and Nonbelief Communities in TurkeyThis past spring, USCIRF staff traveled to Turkey and met with religious and nonbelief communities across the country. Numerous issues continue to negatively impact their freedom of religion or belief, including an inability to train clergy, mandatory religion classes, the threat of blasphemy charges, and other forms of discrimination. USCIRF has monitored and reported on Turkey since the late 2000s, recommending it for placement on the Special Watch List (previously known as Tier 2) every year since 2014 and most recently again in USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report. Senior Policy Analyst Keely Bakken, who was part of that USC...
2022-07-0715 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastConditions for Religious and Nonbelief Communities in TurkeyThis past spring, USCIRF staff traveled to Turkey and met with religious and nonbelief communities across the country. Numerous issues continue to negatively impact their freedom of religion or belief, including an inability to train clergy, mandatory religion classes, the threat of blasphemy charges, and other forms of discrimination. USCIRF has monitored and reported on Turkey since the late 2000s, recommending it for placement on the Special Watch List (previously known as Tier 2) every year since 2014 and most recently again in USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report. Senior Policy Analyst Keely Bakken, who was part of that USC...
2022-07-0715 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastConditions for Religious and Nonbelief Communities in TurkeyThis past spring, USCIRF staff traveled to Turkey and met with religious and nonbelief communities across the country. Numerous issues continue to negatively impact their freedom of religion or belief, including an inability to train clergy, mandatory religion classes, the threat of blasphemy charges, and other forms of discrimination. USCIRF has monitored and reported on Turkey since the late 2000s, recommending it for placement on the Special Watch List (previously known as Tier 2) every year since 2014 and most recently again in USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report. Senior Policy Analyst Keely Bakken, who was part of that USC...
2022-07-0715 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom Backslides in Central African RepublicUSCIRF began monitoring religious freedom conditions in Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013 when the country descended into civil conflict. After seven years of recommending that CAR be designated a country of particular concern, in 2020 USCIRF recommended CAR for Special Watchlist status due to improvements in the situation on the ground—and the next year, in 2021, we no longer recommended CAR for even the Special Watchlist. However, religious freedom conditions in CAR deteriorated in 2021, especially for Muslim minorities, causing USCIRF to return CAR to the list of countries it recommends for Special Watchlist status.John Lechner, an...
2022-06-1619 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom Backslides in Central African RepublicUSCIRF began monitoring religious freedom conditions in Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013 when the country descended into civil conflict. After seven years of recommending that CAR be designated a country of particular concern, in 2020 USCIRF recommended CAR for Special Watchlist status due to improvements in the situation on the ground—and the next year, in 2021, we no longer recommended CAR for even the Special Watchlist. However, religious freedom conditions in CAR deteriorated in 2021, especially for Muslim minorities, causing USCIRF to return CAR to the list of countries it recommends for Special Watchlist status.John Lechner, an...
2022-06-1619 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom Backslides in Central African RepublicUSCIRF began monitoring religious freedom conditions in Central African Republic (CAR) in 2013 when the country descended into civil conflict. After seven years of recommending that CAR be designated a country of particular concern, in 2020 USCIRF recommended CAR for Special Watchlist status due to improvements in the situation on the ground—and the next year, in 2021, we no longer recommended CAR for even the Special Watchlist. However, religious freedom conditions in CAR deteriorated in 2021, especially for Muslim minorities, causing USCIRF to return CAR to the list of countries it recommends for Special Watchlist status.John Lechner, an...
2022-06-1619 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Prisoners of Conscience in IranIran has gone to great lengths to arrest and detain religious minorities, including Christians, Baha’is, Sunni Muslims, Sufis, and spiritualists. The Iranian government has taken it a step further and also targeted those who peacefully dissent from the government’s preferred religious views, particularly women, nontheists, and members of the LGBTI community. Amid country-wide protests in Iran over the past several weeks over food subsidies, as well as ongoing multilateral talks in Vienna, Iran is once again in the foreign policy spotlight.USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst Scott Weiner with Victims List and Outreach Specialist Dyla...
2022-06-1017 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Prisoners of Conscience in IranIran has gone to great lengths to arrest and detain religious minorities, including Christians, Baha’is, Sunni Muslims, Sufis, and spiritualists. The Iranian government has taken it a step further and also targeted those who peacefully dissent from the government’s preferred religious views, particularly women, nontheists, and members of the LGBTI community. Amid country-wide protests in Iran over the past several weeks over food subsidies, as well as ongoing multilateral talks in Vienna, Iran is once again in the foreign policy spotlight.USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst Scott Weiner with Victims List and Outreach Specialist Dyla...
2022-06-1017 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Prisoners of Conscience in IranIran has gone to great lengths to arrest and detain religious minorities, including Christians, Baha’is, Sunni Muslims, Sufis, and spiritualists. The Iranian government has taken it a step further and also targeted those who peacefully dissent from the government’s preferred religious views, particularly women, nontheists, and members of the LGBTI community. Amid country-wide protests in Iran over the past several weeks over food subsidies, as well as ongoing multilateral talks in Vienna, Iran is once again in the foreign policy spotlight.USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst Scott Weiner with Victims List and Outreach Specialist Dyla...
2022-06-1017 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUzbekistan: Gaps in Principles and PracticeUzbekistan is one of a handful of countries that has seen dramatic improvements for religious freedom in recent years; however, religious communities are still experiencing high levels of government regulation and repression that is continuing to impact their ability to exercise their freedom of religion or belief.In April 2022, USCIRF sent a delegation to Uzbekistan. Senior Policy Analyst Keely Bakken, who was part of that USCIRF delegation to Uzbekistan, joins us today to discuss the outcome of the trip, recent developments since then, and other areas of possible reform in Uzbekistan. ...
2022-06-0317 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUzbekistan: Gaps in Principles and PracticeUzbekistan is one of a handful of countries that has seen dramatic improvements for religious freedom in recent years; however, religious communities are still experiencing high levels of government regulation and repression that is continuing to impact their ability to exercise their freedom of religion or belief.In April 2022, USCIRF sent a delegation to Uzbekistan. Senior Policy Analyst Keely Bakken, who was part of that USCIRF delegation to Uzbekistan, joins us today to discuss the outcome of the trip, recent developments since then, and other areas of possible reform in Uzbekistan. ...
2022-06-0317 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUzbekistan: Gaps in Principles and PracticeUzbekistan is one of a handful of countries that has seen dramatic improvements for religious freedom in recent years; however, religious communities are still experiencing high levels of government regulation and repression that is continuing to impact their ability to exercise their freedom of religion or belief.In April 2022, USCIRF sent a delegation to Uzbekistan. Senior Policy Analyst Keely Bakken, who was part of that USCIRF delegation to Uzbekistan, joins us today to discuss the outcome of the trip, recent developments since then, and other areas of possible reform in Uzbekistan. ...
2022-06-0317 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastAnti-Conversion Laws and Growing Intolerance in IndiaSince 2020, USCIRF has recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular of Concern, or CPC, due to the Indian government’s promotion of Hindu nationalism, and engagement and facilitation of systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. The othering of those that are non-Hindu through the misuse of national and state-level legislation has turned India’s diverse and pluralistic society into more of a hostile state for many religious communities, particularly Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Adivasis, and Dalits.Today USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava joins us to discuss the growing climate of intolerance toward non-Hindus in I...
2022-05-0624 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastAnti-Conversion Laws and Growing Intolerance in IndiaSince 2020, USCIRF has recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular of Concern, or CPC, due to the Indian government’s promotion of Hindu nationalism, and engagement and facilitation of systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. The othering of those that are non-Hindu through the misuse of national and state-level legislation has turned India’s diverse and pluralistic society into more of a hostile state for many religious communities, particularly Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Adivasis, and Dalits.Today USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava joins us to discuss the growing climate of intolerance toward non-Hindus in I...
2022-05-0624 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastAnti-Conversion Laws and Growing Intolerance in IndiaSince 2020, USCIRF has recommended that India be designated a Country of Particular of Concern, or CPC, due to the Indian government’s promotion of Hindu nationalism, and engagement and facilitation of systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. The othering of those that are non-Hindu through the misuse of national and state-level legislation has turned India’s diverse and pluralistic society into more of a hostile state for many religious communities, particularly Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Adivasis, and Dalits.Today USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava joins us to discuss the growing climate of intolerance toward non-Hindus in I...
2022-05-0624 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. PolicyOn 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 of freedom of religion or belief abroad. This year’s report highlights significant regress in countries such as Afghanistan and the Central African Republic (CAR). The report also notes USCIRF recommendations implemented by the U.S. government—including the designation of Russia as a country of particular concern, the imposition of targeted sanctions on religious freedom violators, and genocide determinations for atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese government against Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim...
2022-04-2617 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. PolicyOn 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 of freedom of religion or belief abroad. This year’s report highlights significant regress in countries such as Afghanistan and the Central African Republic (CAR). The report also notes USCIRF recommendations implemented by the U.S. government—including the designation of Russia as a country of particular concern, the imposition of targeted sanctions on religious freedom violators, and genocide determinations for atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese government against Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim...
2022-04-2617 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF Releases 2022 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. PolicyOn 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 of freedom of religion or belief abroad. This year’s report highlights significant regress in countries such as Afghanistan and the Central African Republic (CAR). The report also notes USCIRF recommendations implemented by the U.S. government—including the designation of Russia as a country of particular concern, the imposition of targeted sanctions on religious freedom violators, and genocide determinations for atrocities perpetrated by the Chinese government against Uyghur and other Turkic Muslim...
2022-04-2617 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastPersecuted Christians Around the WorldAccording to the Pew Research Center’s most recent global data, Christianity’s diverse set of traditions comprise the single largest religious group on earth, of some 2.3 billion people—or nearly a third of the world’s population. Yet, it has been plainly evident throughout our reporting at USCIRF that many Christian communities around the world face a wide range of hardships for practicing their faith: from social marginalization to governmental harassment to imprisonment to mob violence and even death.Isaac Six, Director of Advocacy for Open Doors USA—an NGO that advocates on behalf of persecu...
2022-04-2221 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastPersecuted Christians Around the WorldAccording to the Pew Research Center’s most recent global data, Christianity’s diverse set of traditions comprise the single largest religious group on earth, of some 2.3 billion people—or nearly a third of the world’s population. Yet, it has been plainly evident throughout our reporting at USCIRF that many Christian communities around the world face a wide range of hardships for practicing their faith: from social marginalization to governmental harassment to imprisonment to mob violence and even death.Isaac Six, Director of Advocacy for Open Doors USA—an NGO that advocates on behalf of persecu...
2022-04-2221 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastPersecuted Christians Around the WorldAccording to the Pew Research Center’s most recent global data, Christianity’s diverse set of traditions comprise the single largest religious group on earth, of some 2.3 billion people—or nearly a third of the world’s population. Yet, it has been plainly evident throughout our reporting at USCIRF that many Christian communities around the world face a wide range of hardships for practicing their faith: from social marginalization to governmental harassment to imprisonment to mob violence and even death.Isaac Six, Director of Advocacy for Open Doors USA—an NGO that advocates on behalf of persecu...
2022-04-2221 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRohingya Genocide Determination and AccountabilityThe Rohingya community in Burma have been targeted by the Burmese military (known as the Tatmadaw) with mass killings and rape since 2017, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the country. Since the military coup in February 2021, the Tatmadaw have employed similar tactics used on the Rohingya against all ethnic and religious communities, as we have noted in past Spotlight episodes. The coup has increased concern among the international community to pursue efforts of justice and accountability for the ongoing abuses against the Rohingya, which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially determined as genocide and crimes against humanity...
2022-04-0121 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRohingya Genocide Determination and AccountabilityThe Rohingya community in Burma have been targeted by the Burmese military (known as the Tatmadaw) with mass killings and rape since 2017, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the country. Since the military coup in February 2021, the Tatmadaw have employed similar tactics used on the Rohingya against all ethnic and religious communities, as we have noted in past Spotlight episodes. The coup has increased concern among the international community to pursue efforts of justice and accountability for the ongoing abuses against the Rohingya, which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially determined as genocide and crimes against humanity...
2022-04-0121 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRohingya Genocide Determination and AccountabilityThe Rohingya community in Burma have been targeted by the Burmese military (known as the Tatmadaw) with mass killings and rape since 2017, forcing hundreds of thousands to flee the country. Since the military coup in February 2021, the Tatmadaw have employed similar tactics used on the Rohingya against all ethnic and religious communities, as we have noted in past Spotlight episodes. The coup has increased concern among the international community to pursue efforts of justice and accountability for the ongoing abuses against the Rohingya, which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken officially determined as genocide and crimes against humanity...
2022-04-0121 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastState Department Designations and USCIRF Recommendations: Where do they line up?Pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the State Department is required to issue annual designations for the most egregious violators of religious freedom. In advance of these designations, USCIRF recommends in its Annual Report each year the countries the State Department should designate as such.The State Department issued its latest list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and countries placed on its Special Watch List (SWL) on November 17, 2021—which included some USCIRF recommendations, but with notable exclusions. USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza joins us today to discuss the St...
2021-12-1715 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastState Department Designations and USCIRF Recommendations: Where do they line up?Pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the State Department is required to issue annual designations for the most egregious violators of religious freedom. In advance of these designations, USCIRF recommends in its Annual Report each year the countries the State Department should designate as such.The State Department issued its latest list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and countries placed on its Special Watch List (SWL) on November 17, 2021—which included some USCIRF recommendations, but with notable exclusions. USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza joins us today to discuss the St...
2021-12-1715 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastState Department Designations and USCIRF Recommendations: Where do they line up?Pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the State Department is required to issue annual designations for the most egregious violators of religious freedom. In advance of these designations, USCIRF recommends in its Annual Report each year the countries the State Department should designate as such.The State Department issued its latest list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and countries placed on its Special Watch List (SWL) on November 17, 2021—which included some USCIRF recommendations, but with notable exclusions. USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza joins us today to discuss the St...
2021-12-1715 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom & Taliban Fears in TajikistanFor many years, USCIRF has been deeply concerned about religious freedom conditions in Central Asia, and more recently the impact of the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan on the surrounding region. Since 2012, USCIRF has recommended that the State Department designate Tajikistan a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), in response to the government’s increasing repression following the passage of a strict religion law in 2009. The State Department followed this recommendation in 2016 and has designated Tajikistan a CPC every year since.USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst Jason Morton joins us to disc...
2021-09-3022 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom & Taliban Fears in TajikistanFor many years, USCIRF has been deeply concerned about religious freedom conditions in Central Asia, and more recently the impact of the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan on the surrounding region. Since 2012, USCIRF has recommended that the State Department designate Tajikistan a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), in response to the government’s increasing repression following the passage of a strict religion law in 2009. The State Department followed this recommendation in 2016 and has designated Tajikistan a CPC every year since.USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst Jason Morton joins us to disc...
2021-09-3022 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastReligious Freedom & Taliban Fears in TajikistanFor many years, USCIRF has been deeply concerned about religious freedom conditions in Central Asia, and more recently the impact of the Taliban’s rise to power in Afghanistan on the surrounding region. Since 2012, USCIRF has recommended that the State Department designate Tajikistan a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), in response to the government’s increasing repression following the passage of a strict religion law in 2009. The State Department followed this recommendation in 2016 and has designated Tajikistan a CPC every year since.USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst Jason Morton joins us to disc...
2021-09-3022 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastCentral African Republic: From Sectarian Violence to Progress on Religious Freedom
In 2015, USCIRF for the first time recommended the Central African Republic (CAR) be designated by the State Department a Country of Particular Concern for systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom following years of sectarian violence that erupted after a 2013 coup. As the violence against religious minority communities subsided in subsequent years, in 2020, USCIRF recommended CAR be placed on the State Department’s Special Watchlist, a step in the right direction. While concerns for religious freedom in CAR remain, there has been further notable progress during the past year.
In its most recent 2021 Annual Report, US...
2021-07-0918 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastCentral African Republic: From Sectarian Violence to Progress on Religious Freedom
In 2015, USCIRF for the first time recommended the Central African Republic (CAR) be designated by the State Department a Country of Particular Concern for systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom following years of sectarian violence that erupted after a 2013 coup. As the violence against religious minority communities subsided in subsequent years, in 2020, USCIRF recommended CAR be placed on the State Department’s Special Watchlist, a step in the right direction. While concerns for religious freedom in CAR remain, there has been further notable progress during the past year.
In its most recent 2021 Annual Report, US...
2021-07-0918 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastCentral African Republic: From Sectarian Violence to Progress on Religious Freedom
In 2015, USCIRF for the first time recommended the Central African Republic (CAR) be designated by the State Department a Country of Particular Concern for systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom following years of sectarian violence that erupted after a 2013 coup. As the violence against religious minority communities subsided in subsequent years, in 2020, USCIRF recommended CAR be placed on the State Department’s Special Watchlist, a step in the right direction. While concerns for religious freedom in CAR remain, there has been further notable progress during the past year.
In its most recent 2021 Annual Report, US...
2021-07-0918 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDo USCIRF Policy Recommendations Get Implemented?
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) mandates USCIRF to make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. In addition to making recommendations, USCIRF’s mandate was recently amended to include tracking the U.S. government’s implementation of our recommendations as well as to review the effectiveness of such implemented recommendations in advancing religious freedom internationally.
Joining us today is USCIRF Commissioner Fred Davie to share with us some of these key recommendations that have been implemented by the administration and Congress over the last year or so.
R...
2021-06-1717 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDo USCIRF Policy Recommendations Get Implemented?
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) mandates USCIRF to make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. In addition to making recommendations, USCIRF’s mandate was recently amended to include tracking the U.S. government’s implementation of our recommendations as well as to review the effectiveness of such implemented recommendations in advancing religious freedom internationally.
Joining us today is USCIRF Commissioner Fred Davie to share with us some of these key recommendations that have been implemented by the administration and Congress over the last year or so.
R...
2021-06-1717 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastDo USCIRF Policy Recommendations Get Implemented?
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) mandates USCIRF to make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. In addition to making recommendations, USCIRF’s mandate was recently amended to include tracking the U.S. government’s implementation of our recommendations as well as to review the effectiveness of such implemented recommendations in advancing religious freedom internationally.
Joining us today is USCIRF Commissioner Fred Davie to share with us some of these key recommendations that have been implemented by the administration and Congress over the last year or so.
R...
2021-06-1717 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastBahrain Takes Steps to Improve Religious Freedom
For the first time in years, Bahrain was not included in the list of countries that USCIRF recommends for the State Department’s Special Watch List (SWL). The government of Bahrain has made incremental improvements to religious freedom conditions within the country over the past several years—working to enhance the rights of religious communities including Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Baha’is.
Nevertheless, there are some lingering concerns about how Bahrain’s government treats the Shi’a Muslim majority population. USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst, Scott Weiner, joins us to expound upon the religious freedom situation in Bahrain...
2021-06-0420 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastBahrain Takes Steps to Improve Religious Freedom
For the first time in years, Bahrain was not included in the list of countries that USCIRF recommends for the State Department’s Special Watch List (SWL). The government of Bahrain has made incremental improvements to religious freedom conditions within the country over the past several years—working to enhance the rights of religious communities including Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Baha’is.
Nevertheless, there are some lingering concerns about how Bahrain’s government treats the Shi’a Muslim majority population. USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst, Scott Weiner, joins us to expound upon the religious freedom situation in Bahrain...
2021-06-0420 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastBahrain Takes Steps to Improve Religious Freedom
For the first time in years, Bahrain was not included in the list of countries that USCIRF recommends for the State Department’s Special Watch List (SWL). The government of Bahrain has made incremental improvements to religious freedom conditions within the country over the past several years—working to enhance the rights of religious communities including Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, and Baha’is.
Nevertheless, there are some lingering concerns about how Bahrain’s government treats the Shi’a Muslim majority population. USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst, Scott Weiner, joins us to expound upon the religious freedom situation in Bahrain...
2021-06-0420 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRefugee Resettlement and Religious Freedom
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 the United States, but did not raise the ceiling from the current 15,000 person low. After receiving pushback from advocacy groups, the administration later stated that President Biden is expected to increase the refugee ceiling for this fiscal year by May 15.
USCIRF is concerned about the historically low refugee ceiling, and has long advocated for a robust resettlement program as a way for the...
2021-04-3021 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRefugee Resettlement and Religious Freedom
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 the United States, but did not raise the ceiling from the current 15,000 person low. After receiving pushback from advocacy groups, the administration later stated that President Biden is expected to increase the refugee ceiling for this fiscal year by May 15.
USCIRF is concerned about the historically low refugee ceiling, and has long advocated for a robust resettlement program as a way for the...
2021-04-3021 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastRefugee Resettlement and Religious Freedom
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 the United States, but did not raise the ceiling from the current 15,000 person low. After receiving pushback from advocacy groups, the administration later stated that President Biden is expected to increase the refugee ceiling for this fiscal year by May 15.
USCIRF is concerned about the historically low refugee ceiling, and has long advocated for a robust resettlement program as a way for the...
2021-04-3021 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. PolicyUSCIRF released its 2021 Annual Report documenting developments over the past year, and providing policy recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s promotion of freedom of religion or belief abroad. In its report, USCIRF also monitored public health measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and their impact on religious freedom.
USCIRF’s independence and bipartisanship enables it to unflinchingly identify threats to religious freedom around the world. The 2021 Annual Report recommends 26 countries for designation as either a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) or to be placed on the State Department’s Special Watch List (S...
2021-04-2219 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. PolicyUSCIRF released its 2021 Annual Report documenting developments over the past year, and providing policy recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s promotion of freedom of religion or belief abroad. In its report, USCIRF also monitored public health measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and their impact on religious freedom.
USCIRF’s independence and bipartisanship enables it to unflinchingly identify threats to religious freedom around the world. The 2021 Annual Report recommends 26 countries for designation as either a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) or to be placed on the State Department’s Special Watch List (S...
2021-04-2219 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUSCIRF Releases 2021 Annual Report with Recommendations for U.S. PolicyUSCIRF released its 2021 Annual Report documenting developments over the past year, and providing policy recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s promotion of freedom of religion or belief abroad. In its report, USCIRF also monitored public health measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and their impact on religious freedom.
USCIRF’s independence and bipartisanship enables it to unflinchingly identify threats to religious freedom around the world. The 2021 Annual Report recommends 26 countries for designation as either a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) or to be placed on the State Department’s Special Watch List (S...
2021-04-2219 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastChina Sanctions U.S. Religious Freedom OfficialsIn a public statement on March 27, 2021, the Chinese government imposed a travel ban on USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and Vice Chair Tony Perkins and prohibited any Chinese citizens or institutions from doing business with them. The statement issued by China asserts that USCIRF should stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and refrain from “going further down the wrong path” otherwise “they will get their fingers burnt.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned China for imposing the “baseless” sanctions.
This is the first time in USCIRF’s more than 20-year history that a foreign government has taken action...
2021-04-0119 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastChina Sanctions U.S. Religious Freedom OfficialsIn a public statement on March 27, 2021, the Chinese government imposed a travel ban on USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and Vice Chair Tony Perkins and prohibited any Chinese citizens or institutions from doing business with them. The statement issued by China asserts that USCIRF should stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and refrain from “going further down the wrong path” otherwise “they will get their fingers burnt.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned China for imposing the “baseless” sanctions.
This is the first time in USCIRF’s more than 20-year history that a foreign government has taken action...
2021-04-0119 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastChina Sanctions U.S. Religious Freedom OfficialsIn a public statement on March 27, 2021, the Chinese government imposed a travel ban on USCIRF Chair Gayle Manchin and Vice Chair Tony Perkins and prohibited any Chinese citizens or institutions from doing business with them. The statement issued by China asserts that USCIRF should stop interfering in China’s internal affairs and refrain from “going further down the wrong path” otherwise “they will get their fingers burnt.” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned China for imposing the “baseless” sanctions.
This is the first time in USCIRF’s more than 20-year history that a foreign government has taken action...
2021-04-0119 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastShifting Trends of Religious Freedom in EgyptEgypt has historically faced many challenges to religious freedom. There has been recurring violence and discrimination against Coptic Christians, who represent 10-15% of the population, as well as other communities who face religious freedom challenges. Furthermore, Egypt is one of the world’s leading enforcers of blasphemy laws. The United States joined 30 other countries at the UN Human Rights Council just last week in condemning a range of human rights abuses in Egypt, which has not been done since 2014.
However, in spite of its shortcomings, there have been some improvements to religious freedom conditions in recent years th...
2021-03-1920 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUzbekistan: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back
There have been notable improvements to religious freedom conditions in Uzbekistan in recent years. The government’s ongoing effort to revise the restrictive 1998 Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations demonstrates progress. Nevertheless, significant challenges to religious freedom in the country still remain.
Even in revised draft legislation, religious communities are still required to register through the government and any unregistered religious activity is considered criminal. Many non-Muslim religious minority communities, such as Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Protestants, have been unable to be officially registered by the state. In addition, some thousands of individ...
2021-03-1117 minUSCIRF Spotlight PodcastUnrest in RussiaRussia is currently experiencing ongoing, widespread anti-corruption protests. These protests demonstrate the largest challenge to government control in almost a decade. Meanwhile, the State Duma recently put forth legislation which has significant implications for religious freedom.
Religious freedom conditions in Russia have deteriorated rapidly in recent years. In fact, USCIRF has released several reports over the past year detailing why Russia should be designated a country of particular concern for its egregious violations of religious freedom. This week’s discussion explains why USCIRF makes this recommendation, and how recent events there impact religious freedom conditions. ...
2021-02-1221 min
USCIRF Spotlight PodcastHow Current Unrest Impacts Religious Freedom in BelarusWelcome to USCIRF's new series! In USCIRF Spotlight, we discuss major topics in the news and explore how they impact religious freedom around the globe. For this week's episode, listen to what our research team has to say about the situation in Belarus.
Featuring:
Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF
Dr. Jason Morton, Senior Policy Analyst, USCIRF
2020-10-0914 min