Feb 7, 2023
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Concerns in the Horn of Africa
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Religious Freedom Concerns in the Horn of Africa – This factsheet highlights challenges facing freedom of religion or belief in several countries in the Horn of Africa, including Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somalia. In recent years, crises, insurgencies, and authoritarian regimes in the region have yielded religious repression and attacks on houses of worship and religious leaders. The authoritarian government in Eritrea refuses to register new religious organizations and prosecutes individuals for expressing or adhering to their religious beliefs, including detaining dozens of religious prisoners of conscience. In the context of Ethiopia’s civil war, both government and rebel actors have targeted worshippers and religious infrastructure with violence. In Somalia, militant Islamist group al-Shabaab has attacked mosques in its campaign to establish religious governance in the country, while authorities in Somalia and semi-autonomous Somaliland show worrying commitments to enforcing specific interpretations of Islam. U.S. embassies and State Department regional bureaus setting policy priorities for the region should incorporate analyses of religious freedom risks into their policy- and decision-making protocols and ultimately strengthen efforts to promote freedom of religion or belief in the context of these security and human rights crises.
In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department redesignate Eritrea as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom and redesignate Al-Shabaab as an Entity of Particular Concern (EPC) for its ongoing violations of religious freedom.
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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].
Additional Name(s): Óscar Danilo Benavidez Dávila
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Nicaragua
Religion or Belief: Christian – Catholic
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: No
Sentence: 10 Years' Imprisonment
Date of Detainment: August/14/2022
Date of Sentencing: January/24/2023
Date of Release: February/9/2023
Current Status: Released
Religious Leader: Yes
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment
Reason for Persecution: Criticizing Religious Freedom Conditions Giving, Sharing, & Listening to a Religious Speech Human Rights Work for Religious Communities Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role
Nature of Charges: Spreading Propaganda & False or Misleading Ideas, Information, or Materials Subversion
Oscar Benavidez was imprisoned for criticizing religious freedom conditions.
On August 14, 2022, authorities reportedly arrested Benavidez, a priest, after he performed mass. Benavidez regularly condemned "injustices" committed by the government. During the mass prior to his arrest, he mentioned the persecution of the prophets. His arrest came amid a crackdown on Catholic religious figures and institutions throughout the country.
On January 16, 2023, the Tenth Court of the Criminal Trial District of Managua found Benavidez guilty of “conspiracy to undermine national security and sovereignty” and “spreading fake news.” Prosecutors requested that Benavidez be sentenced to eight years in prison.
On January 24, 2023, Benavidez was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
On February 9, 2023, Benavidez was released from prison and exiled to the United States.
"Release of Political Prisoners from Nicaragua" Secretary Antony J. Blinken, U.S. Department of State
"Estos son los presos políticos desterrados a EE. UU." La Prensa
"Otro sacerdote nicaragüense es condenado por Daniel Ortega" Deutsche Welle (DW)
"Meet the priest the Nicaraguan dictatorship wants to put away for eight years" Catholic News Agency (CNA)
"Nicaraguan priest found guilty, sentenced to eight years in prison for ‘conspiracy’" Catholic News Agency (CNA)
"Dictadura orteguista declara culpable al sacerdote Óscar Benavidez" La Prensa
"Sacerdote Oscar Benavídez ya fue acusado por la Fiscalía. Aún se desconoce su supuesto delito" La Prensa