Jul 29, 2022
USCIRF Releases Report on Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism and Religious Freedom in North Korea
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Freedom of Religion, Thought, and Conscience in North Korea – This report finds North Korea’s ongoing religious freedom violations are driven by highly organized efforts of the Workers’ Party of Korea to enforce an ideology known as Kimilsungism-Kimjongilism. It contributes to significant advances in understanding how and why this ideology is implemented across North Korea and presents implications for the deterrence of perpetrators and the pursuit of accountability and justice.
In 2021, USCIRF issued a report titled “Organized Persecution: Documenting Religious Freedom Violations in North Korea” which documented evidence from in-person interviews with North Korean defectors who are survivors, witnesses, and perpetrators of religious freedom violations.
In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate North Korea as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its ongoing, systematic, and egregious religious freedom violations.
###
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].
Jul 28, 2022
USCIRF 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.
Additional Name(s): Sareh Mansouri, زهرا صدیقی همدانی, ساره منصوری
Gender: Female
Perpetrator: Iran
Ethnic Group: Kurd
Religion or Belief: Unspecified
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: Death
Date of Detainment: October/27/2021
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting LGBTI+ Rights Online Activity Religious Appearance Resisting State-Imposed Religious Systems
Nature of Charges: Illegal Migration & Entry/Exit of Country Immorality Miscellaneous Religious Crimes
Zahra Sedighi-Hamadani was imprisoned for her human rights work in support of the LGBTQI+ community.
On October 27, 2021, authorities detained Sedighi-Hamadani in Urumieh, West Azerbaijan province, reportedly in relation to her real or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity as well as her social media activity in support of LGBTQI+ rights. She was reportedly forcibly disappeared for 53 days and also subjected to solitary confinement and verbal abuse and threats by authorities of physical violence towards her and her children.
On January 16, 2022, Sedighi-Hamadani was informed that she had been charged with committing corruption on Earth (Art. 286 IPC) through “promoting homosexuality,” “communication with anti-Islamic Republic media channels,” and “promoting Christianity." The first two components of the charge reportedly stem from her participation in a BBC documentary about LGBTQI+ issues in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The latter component was reportedly in relation to her wearing a cross necklace and attending a house-church several years ago.
In July 2022, it was reported that Sedighi-Hamadani had been fined 5.3 million tomans for “illegally leaving the country." It was also reported that authorities had accused Sedighi-Hamadani of “promoting homosexuality, gambling, fraud, and promoting illicit sexual relations and publishing them on the Internet." It was also reported that Sedighi-Hamadani had been acquitted of an “encouraging prostitution” charge.
In September 2022, it was reported that the Urmia Revolutionary Court sentenced Sedighi-Hamadani to death for "committing corruption on Earth" (Art. 286 IPC) by "trafficking women to the Kurdistan region of Iraq."
In September 2022, it was reported that Sedighi-Hamadani had attempted suicide in prison, hospitalized, and subsequently returned to prison.
In March 2023, it was reported that Sedighi-Hamadani had been released on bail.
In December 2023, it was reported that Sedighi-Hamadani had safely fled Iran for another undisclosed country.
Related Cases: Elham Choubdar
6Rang, Tweet, December 1, 2023
VOA Farsi صدای آمریکا, Tweet, March 19, 2023
6Rang, Tweet, March 18, 2023
"Iran: UN experts demand stay of execution for two women, including LGBT activist" UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
6Rang, Tweet, September 9, 2022
USCIRF Commissioners Sharon Kleinbaum and Eric Ueland, Tweet, September 7, 2022
"Two Iranian Women Sentenced To Death For LGBT Activism" Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL)
"Urmia Revolutionary Court has sentenced Zahra Sedighi Hamedani and Elham Choobdar to death" Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA)
"Jul 28 Joint Statement: Drop All Charges Against LGBTIQ Activist Sareh and Release Her From Prison Immediately" Asian Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA ASIA)
"Iran: Ill-treated Iranian LGBTI defender at risk: Zahra Sedighi-Hamadani" Amnesty International
"Sareh Mansouri" United For Iran