Mar 15, 2024

USCIRF Calls Attention to Prevalence of Anti-Muslim Hate Around the World

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is alarmed at the proliferation of incidents and expressions of anti-Muslim hatred around the world.

“Today marks five years since the terrorist attack on the Al Noor Mosque and Linwood Mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. This devastating attack initiated the creation of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia. Given that the perpetrator broadcast these murders live over social media, USCIRF calls for better mechanisms to prevent widespread disinformation, hate speech, and incitement of violence toward religious minorities on all social media platforms,” said USCIRF Chair Abraham Cooper. “USCIRF also strongly urges the United States to call out foreign governments who fail to protect their Muslim communities from acts of anti-Muslim hatred wherever they occur. The scourge of anti-Muslim hatred must come to an end.”

Muslims experience bias, discrimination, and violence in many parts of the world. In Burma, the junta resists international efforts toward accountability for its genocidal campaign against the predominantly Muslim Rohingya community in Rakhine State, while also attempting to actively draft Rohingya into the military.

In China, Muslim communities are treated as an existential threat, culminating in the government’s perpetration of genocide against Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang. In India, the government maintains discriminatory policies that disproportionately target Muslims. These policies fuel hate speech, the demolition of mosques and houses in predominantly Muslim neighborhoods, and vigilante violence including rape. The implementation of India's Citizenship Amendment Act will explicitly exclude Muslim refugees fleeing persecution in neighboring countries, including Shi'a and Ahmadiyya Muslims from Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Algeria, Malaysia, and Pakistan, the Ahmadiyya Muslim community continues to be systematically denied the right to worship, targeted by vigilante violence with insufficient government response, and wrongfully detained under blasphemy laws.

Many countries in the European Union, such as Austria and France, retain legislation that impermissibly prohibits Muslim women and girls from wearing religious garb in public spaces. Throughout Europe, anti-Muslim bias also manifests through discrimination in public institutions, prejudice in the immigration process, online harassment, and violent attacks. Additionally, some European countries have passed or are considering legislation that would impact core religious traditions of Islam and Judaism, such as ritual slaughter and circumcision.   

“This week is the start of Ramadan, the most holy month in the Islamic calendar. Given all that is happening in today’s world, Ramadan provides an especially important inflection point this year. USCIRF is particularly disturbed that Muslims and non-Muslims alike continue to have their right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion violated by governments, religious extremists, and non-state actors,” said USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Magid. “All Muslims have the right to live in accordance with the dictates of their conscience, free from discrimination and acts of violence. USCIRF applauds the U.S. government for strongly condemning all forms of intolerance against Muslims, and supports its efforts to combat hatred and discrimination against members of Muslim communities.”

In its 2023 Annual Report, USCIRF identifies incidents and expressions of anti-Muslim hatred around the world. USCIRF also documents selected cases of Muslim religious prisoners of conscience in its Frank R. Wolf Freedom of Religion or Belief Victims List. 

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].