Feb 4, 2022
The government of Nicaragua, under the leadership of President Daniel Ortega, has a history of persecuting Catholic clergy, worshipers, and organizations as well as Protestant institutions especially since religious leaders provided sanctuary and support to civic protesters in 2018. The runup to Nicaragua’s general elections in November 2021 provided yet another backdrop for religious freedom violations committed by the government.
The State Department has placed Nicaragua on its Special Watch List of severe religious freedom violators since 2019, which USCIRF has also recommended and highlighted in its 2021 Annual Report (also available in Spanish).
Christopher Ljungquist, Adviser for Latin America in the Office of International Justice and Peace at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, joins us today to discuss religious freedom conditions in Nicaragua.
Feb 1, 2022
USCIRF Calls for Accountability of Tatmadaw at One Year Anniversary of Coup in Burma
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today marked the first anniversary of the military coup in Burma that overthrew the quasi-democratic civilian government, plunged the country into chaos, and installed the Burmese military—known as the Tatmadaw—into effective control of Burma’s government. The coup exacerbated already dire religious freedom conditions for Burma’s vulnerable religious communities.
“USCIRF continues to stand with the people of Burma in condemning the military junta, which has only increased religious freedom violations since it took over the institutions of the state one year ago,” said USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza. “We urge the U.S. government to support the continued pursuit for accountability for the many human rights abuses perpetrated by the Tatmadaw, especially those committed against the predominantly Muslim Rohingya and various Christian communities.”
Last year’s coup plunged Burma into social and economic chaos. Over 1,300 have died as a result of the Tatmadaw’s severe oppression against initially peaceful opposition. Conditions for Burma’s many ethno-religious minorities—particularly the Rohingya Muslims and the various Christian sects —have deteriorated. The Tatmadaw has targeted houses of worship, faith leaders, and congregants in their brutal crackdown on anyone perceived as supporting opposition.
“In 2017, the Tatmadaw targeted Rohingya Muslims, who were systematically killed, raped, tortured and pushed out of their own homelands within Burma - and their villages and places of worship burned,” stated USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava. “Last February, the Tatmadaw unleashed violence and persecuted anyone perceived to stand in its way, including many religious minority communities. USCIRF once again urges the U.S. government to determine that the atrocities committed against the Rohingya constitute genocide and crimes against humanity.”
The repercussions of the 2021 Burma coup on the Rohingya community was highlighted in an episode of the USCIRF Spotlight podcast. Furthermore, USCIRF’s 2021 Annual Report and November 2021 Burma Country Update elaborate on religious freedom conditions in Burma and provide recommendations to the U.S. government to hold Burmese officials accountable utilizing the international legal system, implementing targeted sanctions, and redesignating Burma as a Country of Particular Concern for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious 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 or belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].
Feb 09
Feb 9th 10:30am
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Feb 9th 12:00pm
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing
Anti-Muslim Policies and Bias in Europe
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Virtual Hearing
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing about the laws, government policies, and societal biases that negatively impact Muslim communities in some European democracies.
In March 2021, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief informed the UN Human Rights Council that institutional suspicion of Muslims had reached “epidemic proportions.” Depending on the context, anti-Muslim bias “targets individuals on numerous grounds, including religion or belief, race, nationality, gender, migratory status, and ethnic origin, resulting in the intersection and confluence of discrimination based on religion or belief and other grounds.” In Europe, surveys show 4 in 10 citizens hold unfavorable views towards Muslims, and acts of discrimination and violence targeting Muslim communities in the region are on the rise. This bias manifests through laws, discrimination in public institutions, online harassment, prejudice through the immigration process, and violent societal attacks, which peaked in 2017 across 29 member states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and disproportionately impacted Muslim women.
Witnesses provided an overview of anti-Muslim laws and government policies across Europe and explained how these policies intersect with issues such as terrorism and migration. The hearing highlighted specific cases in France, the United Kingdom, and Hungary, as well as how the Bosnian Muslim genocide nearly 30 years ago is impacting Europe and how the discourse of genocide is instrumentalized today.
Opening Remarks
- Ambassador Rashad Hussain, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State
Written Remarks - Nadine Maenza, Chair, USCIRF
Written Remarks - Nury Turkel, Vice Chair, USCIRF
Written Remarks
Panel
- Christie Edwards, Deputy Head of the Tolerance and Non-Discrimination Department of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR)
Written Testimony - Sabrina Saoudi, Advisor on Intolerance Against Muslims, OSCE ODIHR
Written Testimony - Rim-Sarah Alouane, Constitutional Legal Scholar
Written Testimony - Zara Mohammed, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Written Testimony - Dr. Péter Krekó, Director, Political Capital Institute Associate Fellow
Written Testimony - Jasmin Mujanović, Political Scientist and Analyst of Southeast Europe, Co-Host of Sarajevo Calling Podcast
Written Testimony
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 Nina Ullom at [email protected] or (202) 322-0232.