Nov 23, 2021
USCIRF Releases New Report on Religious Freedom Violations in Belarus
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following report on religious freedom violations in Belarus:
Belarus Country Update – Religious freedom conditions in the Eastern European country of Belarus have deteriorated dramatically amidst a brutal government crackdown on civil society following widespread anti-government protests starting in August 2020. Since then, the regime of Alexander Lukashenko has purged Catholic and Orthodox Christian clergy critical of his authoritarian tactics, raided Catholic and Protestant worship services, and publicly promoted anti-Semitic conspiracies and rhetoric.
USCIRF has long monitored religious freedom conditions in Belarus, and discussed the deterioration in its 2021 Annual Report and USCIRF Spotlight podcast. This report anticipates important discussions about the U.S. policy response to the assault on Belarusian civil society, which includes significant 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): Asghar Kalaar
Gender: Male
Perpetrator: Pakistan
Religion or Belief: Muslim – Ahmadiyya
Health Concerns: Diabetes, hypertension, heart disease
Reports of Torture: No
Reports of Medical Neglect: Yes
Date of Detainment: September/26/2021
Date of Death: January/10/2022
Current Status: Deceased
Religious Leader: No
Most Recent Type of Abuse: Detainment
Reason for Persecution: Blasphemy (General) Blasphemy (Religious Figures)
Nature of Charges: Blasphemy
Asghar Kalar
Extra Bio Info:
Asghar Kalar was detained for blasphemy.
On September 26, 2021, authorities arrested Kalar after he was charged with "insulting the Prophet Muhammad" (Sec. 295-C PPC). According to the charge sheet, Kalar was accused of abusing the name of the Prophet on Facebook.
On January 4, 2022, Kalar was taken to the hospital after vomiting blood and having shortness of breath.
On January 8, 2022, a judge adjourned Kalar's case to January 11, 2022, forcing him to remain in custody, despite his deteriorating health.
On January 10, 2022, Kalar passed away at Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur.
Prior to his death, Kalar suffered from diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.
Kalar was married with three children.
Sources:
Nov 18, 2021
USCIRF Releases New Policy Update on Preserving Religious Freedom in Sudan
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Sudan Policy Update – The Sudanese military takeover on October 25, 2021, dissolved the civilian-led government and arrested key civilian officials. This policy update highlights challenges to advancing religious freedom in Sudan, including the threat to this progress posed by the recent military coup, as well as examines the progress previously made by the Sudanese transitional government in 2021.The report discusses key U.S. policy engagement with Sudan in 2021 and concludes by providing concrete recommendations to the U.S. government, once the civilian-led transitional government returns, to improve human rights protections and preserve reforms by the civilian-led government that will benefit freedom of religion or belief.
In 2020, USCIRF released a Sudan Policy Update discussing a number of significant religious freedom reforms undertaken by Sudan’s transitional government. USCIRF also highlighted significant developments in Sudan in an episode of the USCIRF Spotlight Podcast in October 2020. Due to continued advancement of religious freedom by the Sudanese government since the 2019 revolution, in its 2020 Annual Report, USCIRF no longer recommended that the U.S. Department of State include Sudan on its Special Watch List (SWL).
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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].