March 26, 2012 | by USCIRF

The U.S. Congress has appointed two individuals, Dr. Robert P. George and Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser, to serve as Commissioners on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).

March 20, 2012 | by USCIRF

WASHINGTON, D.C. –The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a federal government commission that monitors global religious freedom, today released its 2012 Annual Report and recommended that the Secretary of State name the following nations “countries of particular concern” or CPCs: Burma, China, Egypt, Eritrea, Iraq, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.* The report can be found at: http://www.uscirf.gov/reports-and-briefs/annual-report/3706-2012-annual-report.html.

March 6, 2012 | by USCIRF

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) deeply mourns the loss of Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), a longtime advocate of human rights, including the right to freedom of religion, who passed away this morning in Livingston, New Jersey. 

March 1, 2012 | by USCIRF

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) renews its call for justice for Shahbaz Bhatti, Pakistan’s slain Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, and a longtime religious freedom advocate who was assassinated a year ago today by the Pakistani Taliban.

February 14, 2012 | by USCIRF

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) expressed grave concern today for Hamza Kashgari, a 23-year-old blogger in Saudi Arabia who could face apostasy charges that carry the death penalty.

February 13, 2012 | by USCIRF

WHO:  USCIRF Commissioners and the relatives of imprisoned Iranian Baha’is, including six Baha’i educators who remain in prison after being convicted and sentenced last year to 4 and 5 year prison terms. 

February 2, 2012 | by USCIRF

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today called for the immediate release of 35 Ethiopian Christians who have been detained by Saudi Arabian police since December 15, allegedly for participating in a private religious gathering. 

January 9, 2012| by USCIRF

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today condemned the wave of attacks targeting Shi’a pilgrims traveling to Karbala, Iraq to commemorate Arbaeen, and called on the Iraqi government to increase security and bring the attackers to justice.
 
“I am alarmed by the recent series of deadly attacks targeting religious pilgrims,” said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair.  “These attacks seem intended to exacerbate sectarian tensions that are already heightened by the current political crisis, and risk a return to the sectarian violence that killed so many Iraqis, Muslim and non-Muslim alike, in 2006-07.  The Iraqi government must act quickly and urgently to prevent this by tightening security on pilgrimage routes and in Karbala, investigating the attacks, and prosecuting the perpetrators.”  
 
 

January 7, 2012| by USCIRF

WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed grave concern over recent attacks that occurred in the past two days in Northern Nigeria, reportedly by followers or members of Boko Haram.  The most recent attack occurred today, killing at least eight worshipers attending the Apostolic Church in Yola, Adamawa State.  Yesterday, over 20 people were killed and at least 15 others were wounded in the town of Mubi, Adamawa State.  The dead and wounded in yesterday’s attacks are from the Igbo tribe who were conducting a meeting.   

December 26, 2011 | by USCIRF           

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed grave concern over the latest outbreak of sectarian religious violence on Christmas Day in Nigeria and renewed its call for the Nigerian government to investigate, prosecute, and punish such crimes and those responsible for them.  According to news reports and statements from the Government of Nigeria, the recent violence included Christmas Day explosions at Christian churches in five cities in central and northeastern Nigeria-- Jos, Kano, Madalla, Gadaka, and Damaturu--leaving at least 39 dead and 65 wounded. Muslim militants from the extremist organization Boko Haram have claimed responsibility for the bombings, making this the second Christmas season in a row that Boko Haram has attacked Christian houses of worship in Nigeria.

December 14, 2011| by USCIRF

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Bahraini government-appointed committee should address concerns related to the demolition earlier this year of dozens of Shi’a Muslim religious structures, said the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
 
On November 23, the Bahraini Independent Commission on Inquiry (BICI), created and funded by the Bahraini government, released a 500-page report detailing systematic and egregious abuses in the government’s response to protests earlier this year.  The BICI report includes findings and recommendations related to the destruction of Shi’a religious sites by government authorities.