Nov 4, 2022

Since 2014, when ISIS launched its genocidal campaign against the Yazidis—a minority ethno-religious group within the Kurdish-majority areas of Iraq, Syria, Iran and Turkey, as well as in Armenia–hundreds of thousands of Yazidis have been displaced from their native home in the Sinjar region of Iraq.

The U.S. government remains deeply invested in helping stabilize the Sinjar region and making it a viable home again for the displaced Yazidis. As USCIRF has consistently reported, Sinjar is not yet a hospitable environment for the Yazidi people. The United States and wider international community have a role to play in encouraging all stakeholders—including Yazidis and authorities in both the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi federal government—to help this vulnerable religious minority to safely return to Sinjar.

Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Zovighian Partnership, Lynn Zovighian, joins us today to discuss the challenges the Yazidi community and the Sinjar region continue to face as new stages of the genocide unfold.

Nov 15

WHEN:

Nov 15th 2:00pm - Nov 15th 3:30pm

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing

Crackdown on Religious Freedom in Nicaragua

Tuesday, November 15, 2022
2:00 PM to 3:30 PM ET

Hearing Transcript

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing that examined deteriorating conditions for freedom of religion or belief in Nicaragua. The hearing also highlighted opportunities for U.S. policy to support religious actors and communities who are under siege from the government of President Daniel Ortega.

This year, the Nicaraguan government has deepened its pattern of harassment against the Catholic Church, such as subjecting Catholic clergy to direct detention and imprisonment—with some priests facing multiple years in prison on spurious charges. In March, the government expelled the papal nuncio, the Vatican’s chief diplomat in the country, for unexplained reasons. In August, authorities surrounded the home of Bishop Rolando Alvarez—an outspoken critic of the regime—and arrested him and several of his companions. Additionally, the government has turned its wrath on Catholic-affiliated organizations by arbitrarily shutting down charities and expelling their workers, stripping universities of funding and legal status, shutting down news media, and eliminating non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Witnesses documented religious freedom conditions across Nicaragua under the Ortega regime, discussed current U.S. policy and the enforcement of the RENACER ACT to deter the Ortega regime’s abuses against religious communities, and shared recommendations for the U.S. government to support religious freedom in Nicaragua.

 

Opening Remarks

 

Panel I

  • Patrick Ventrell, Director of the Office for Central American Affairs, U.S. Department of State

 

Panel II

  • Manuel Orozco, Director, Migration, Remittances and Development Program, Inter-American Dialogue
    Written Testimony
  • Irela Guevara, Program Director, Outreach Aid to the Americas
    Written Testimony
  • Christopher Ljungquist, Adviser for Latin America, Office of International Justice and Peace, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
    Written Testimony
  • Ryan Berg, Director, Americas Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies
    Written Testimony

 

Witnesses’ Biographies

 

This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. Members of the media should register online and can email [email protected] for any questions or to schedule an interview. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions, please contact Danielle Ashbahian at [email protected] or (202) 702-2778.

Gender: Male

Perpetrator: China

Religion or Belief: Christian – Protestant

Reports of Torture: No

Reports of Medical Neglect: No

Appeal: Rejected

Sentence: 5 Years, 6 Months' Imprisonment

Current Status: Not Released

Religious Leader: Yes

Most Recent Type of Abuse: Imprisonment

Reason for Persecution: Attending a Religious Gathering or Meeting Religious Activity Religious Belief Religious Business Activity Religious Figure & Religious Leadership Role

Nature of Charges: Illegal Business Activity

Yang Jianxin

Extra Bio Info:

Yang Jianxin is imprisoned for his religious belief and activity.

In early 2021, authorities detained Yang, pastor of a house church, for “conducting illegal business operations” and “printing and purchasing illegal publications" after he reached out to a local printer to print Bibles.

On February 7, 2021, Yang was formally arrested.

On an unspecified date, the Lingbao Court of Sanmenxia City, Henan, reportedly sentenced Yang to five years and six months in prison.

In October 2022, it was reported that the Sanmenxia City Intermediate Court upheld Yang's sentence.

Sources:
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