FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 16, 2018

Turkey Misses Opportunity to Release Pastor Andrew Brunson, Sets Next Hearing for May 7

“We are deeply disappointed that Turkish officials today decided to prolong their prosecution and unjust imprisonment of Pastor Andrew Brunson,” said USCIRF Chairman Dr. Daniel Mark

WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) was disappointed today by a Turkish court decision to continue proceedings in the case of Pastor Andrew Brunson, an American citizen and leader of a small Protestant Christian church who is facing up to 35 years imprisonment on false terrorism and espionage related charges. USCIRF has condemned the charges against Pastor Brunson and called for his immediate release.

“We are deeply disappointed that Turkish officials today decided to prolong their prosecution and unjust imprisonment of Pastor Andrew Brunson,” said USCIRF Chairman Dr. Daniel Mark. “USCIRF’s position is clear. Pastor Brunson is an innocent religious leader whose imprisonment for over 18 months on false allegations is an abomination. This latest development is yet another reason for the international community to condemn his imprisonment and for Congress and the administration to consider stronger steps against Turkey, including the imposition of targeted sanctions against those involved in this miscarriage of justice.”  

Pastor Brunson was initially detained by Turkish officials on October 7, 2016 and accused of membership in an armed terrorist organization. On March 13, Turkish prosecutors indicted Pastor Brunson on terrorism and espionage related charges, seeking a sentence of up to 35 years imprisonment. Pastor Brunson has lived and worked in Turkey for over 22 years.

High-level U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and former Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, have called for Pastor Brunson’s release.  

On October 5, 2017, USCIRF Vice Chairs Sandra Jolley and Kristina Arriaga were granted access to Kiriklar Prison in Izmir and allowed to visit with Pastor Brunson. They were his first visitors outside of family, legal counsel, and U.S. embassy officials. They described their visit in an opinion editorial for Religion News Service, which can be found here.

In 2017, USCIRF placed Turkey on its Tier 2 for violations of religious freedom and began advocating for Pastor Brunson as a part of its Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project.

For more information, see USCIRF’s 2017 annual report chapter on Turkey.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world. USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leadership of both political parties. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Isaac Six, Associate Director of Congressional Affairs ([email protected] +1-202-786-0606).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24, 2018

USCIRF Study Reveals Numerous Passages in Saudi Textbooks Inciting Violence and Intolerance

 “USCIRF is disappointed to find inflammatory content remains in Saudi textbooks previously thought to have been removed.”

In a new study of select textbooks currently in use in Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) uncovered content promoting violence and hatred toward religious minorities and others. While the Saudi government has been engaged in textbook reform for the last 15 years, the presence of these passages makes clear how little progress has been made and highlights an immediate need for the Saudi government to more seriously address this issue, as well as the exportation of these textbooks internationally, as a part of its ambitious reform process.

“USCIRF is disappointed to find inflammatory content in Saudi textbooks that was previously thought to have been removed,” said USCIRF Chairman Daniel Mark. “USCIRF had been encouraged by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s efforts over the past year, particularly the initial implementation of the Vision 2030 program and his recent statement that Saudi Arabia is ‘open to all religions and to the world.’ Such initiatives and sentiments could serve as a strong basis for improving freedom of religion or belief in the Kingdom, including through much-needed textbook reform.”

USCIRF’s study compared twelve 2017-2018 high school religion textbooks with earlier versions from 2012-2014 and found that the current books contain not only numerous intolerant and inflammatory passages but also several passages specifically thought to have been removed from earlier books. Examples of intolerant content include passages: extolling jihad as fighting against non-Muslims; prescribing execution of apostates and those who mock God or the Prophet; and demeaning non-Muslims and warning Muslims against associating with them.

“USCIRF urges Congress and the administration to make textbook reform a priority in its engagement with the Saudi government, especially in light of that government’s progress in other areas of reform,” continued Chairman Mark. “USCIRF also encourages Congress to pass the Saudi Educational Transparency and Reform Act, which would require annual reports on religious intolerance in Saudi educational materials, in order to ensure long-term monitoring and assessments on progress or lack thereof.”

In 2017, USCIRF recommended, and the State Department designated, Saudi Arabia as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 for engaging or tolerating systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. Saudi Arabia has been designated as a CPC repeatedly since 2004 but an indefinite waiver on taking action as a result of the designation has been in place since 2006.

For more information, see USCIRF’s 2017 annual report chapter on Saudi Arabia.

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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world. USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the Congressional leadership of both political parties. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or Isaac Six, Associate Director of Congressional Affairs ([email protected] +1-202-786-0606).