Apr 13, 2022
USCIRF Applauds Permanent Reauthorization of Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act
Washington, D.C. – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) welcomes the permanent reauthorization of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which was signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden on April 8, 2022.
“Global Magnitsky sanctions are the gold standard for holding human rights abusers accountable. The Global Magnitsky Act is an important tool to impose consequences on violators of religious freedom that can now be used for years to come thanks to its permanent reauthorization,” USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza said. “We applaud President Biden for signing the bill into law and the bipartisan support from Congress on this legislation.”
Through the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, the U.S. government can issue visa bans and asset freezes against foreign persons involved in “gross violations of internationally recognized human rights.” This tool has been used to enforce consequences on violators of religious freedom.
“The U.S. government has imposed Global Magnitsky sanctions on violators of religious freedom in contexts such as Burma, China, Iran, and Russia. Targeted sanctions are a vital instrument for the United States to promote accountability for violations of freedom of religion or belief abroad, and we believe they have made an impact in stemming religious persecution,” USCIRF Vice Chair Nury Turkel added. “With the Global Magnitsky sanctions authority now permanently reauthorized, we hope that the Biden administration will implement more targeted sanctions for severe religious freedom violations, which we repeatedly recommend each year.”
In its 2021 Annual Report, USCIRF called on the U.S. government to increase the use of human rights related financial and visa authorities to impose asset freezes and/or visa bans on individuals and entities for severe religious freedom violations, citing specific abuses, and to permanently reauthorize the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. In October 2021, USCIRF hosted a hearing titled: “Targeted Sanctions: Implications for International Religious Freedom.”
###
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].
Apr 25
Apr 25th 2:00pm
-
Apr 25th 3:00pm
2022 Annual Report:
Key Findings and Recommendations
Monday, April 25, 2022
2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report reflects significant developments over the past year with progress in some countries bringing positive change while other nations implemented laws and policies further targeting religious communities, and in some cases amounting to crimes against humanity and genocide.
In its report, USCIRF notes several of its recommendations implemented by the U.S. government. The report also highlights important global developments and trends related to religious freedom during 2021, including in countries that do not meet the criteria of a "country of particular concern" (CPC) or Special Watch List (SWL). These include: the COVID-19 pandemic and religious freedom, blasphemy and hate speech law enforcement, transnational repression, religious intolerance in Europe, deteriorating religious freedom conditions in South Asia, and political upheaval that raises religious freedom concerns.
This year’s report features new and many repeated actionable recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief abroad.
Opening Remarks
- Nadine Maenza, Chair, USCIRF
Written Remarks - Nury Turkel, Vice Chair, USCIRF
Written Remarks
Special Remarks
- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U.S. House of Representatives (D-California)
Recorded Remarks - Senator Marco Rubio, U.S. Senate (R-Florida)
Recorded Remarks
This event is no longer in-person and will now be held virtually on Zoom Webinar. Attendees who register can ask questions during the virtual Q&A. Click here to register. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email that will include the event link and password.
Apr 8, 2022
Article 18 of both the United Nations Human Rights Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects not only the right to believe in and practice a religion and to change religion, but also the right to hold nontheistic beliefs.
Despite these protections, many members of nonreligious communities face government repression, social intolerance, restrictions on freedom of thought, belief and expression, and pervasive discrimination because of their lack of religion or absence of belief in a God.
Rachel Deitch, Director of Policy and Social Justice with the American Humanist Association joins us to discuss conditions of non-religious communities around the world.
Read USCIRF’s Factsheet on Nonbelievers in Africa