USCIRF Observes International Women’s Day

Brings Attention to Religious Freedom Violations Abroad Against Women

Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today commemorates International Women’s Day, and highlights the religious freedom violations abroad targeting women based on their gender.

“On this International Women's Day, USCIRF applauds those fighting for women's freedom of religion or belief around the world. USCIRF will always stand up for women's ability to manifest their beliefs through teaching, practice, worship, and observance,” said USCIRF Chair Nury Turkel.

"USCIRF wholeheartedly condemns the targeting of women globally on the basis of religion by governments and non-state entities. These violations of international law are horrific and those perpetrating them must be held accountable. In Cuba, for example, authorities actively surveil and violently detain members of the Ladies in White, an organization of wives and relatives of dissidents imprisoned in 2003, and prevent them from attending religious services on Sundays,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Abraham Cooper.

"Since its takeover in 2021, the Taliban has brutally repressed Afghan women by restricting their freedom of movement, dress, education, participation in sports, right to work, and healthcare," said USCIRF Commissioner David Curry.

"In Nigeria, Boko Haram has committed sexual violence against kidnapped women. Nigeria's military reportedly ran a forced abortion program for those who became pregnant and escaped. Five years ago, Leah Sharibu was abducted at the hands of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) alongside 110 other girls. Despite ISWAP releasing most of the girls, Leah has remained in captivity for refusing to abandon her Christian faith and convert to Islam," said USCIRF Commissioner Frederick A. Davie.

“Security forces in Iran are subjecting women peacefully protesting mandatory hijab laws to harassment, arrest, torture, assault, and rape. The Iranian government has targeted lesbian and nonbinary women and failed to stop poison attacks on girls' schools,” said USCIRF Commissioner Sharon Kleinbaum.

“In Tajikistan, women wearing a hijab are harassed by the police and blocked from entering government buildings. The Tajik government has even imposed restrictions on how women mourn the dead, including the banning of black clothes," said USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Magid.

“Saudi Arabia continues to treat women as second class citizens under the country's repressive guardianship system and issued a 34-year prison sentence to a woman who in a tweet supported activists protesting this system,” said USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck.

"In India, Dalit women are repeatedly the targets of gang rape and sexual violence. Some women have even been killed during these attacks. This egregious sexual violence has been met with indifference and leniency by state authorities which is unacceptable,” said USCIRF Commissioner Eric Ueland.

"For years, China has subjected Uyghur Muslim women to forced abortions, birth control, and sterilization, a factor that led to the United States government designating China’s treatment of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region as genocide and crimes against humanity," said USCIRF Commissioner Frank Wolf.

Earlier this year, USCIRF led a townhall on Women and International Religious Freedom at the 2023 International Religious Freedom Summit. Last year, USCIRF hosted a hearing on Women’s Roles in Advancing International Religious Freedom which explored the strategies and means through which women work to promote and protect religious freedom abroad, and how the U.S. government can better support such efforts. In recent years, USCIRF has also published reports on Women and Religious Freedom: Synergies and Opportunities and Policy Focus: Women and 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].

USCIRF Relieved by Release of Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani

Calls for Release of All Prisoners of Conscience in Iran

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today expressed relief over news that Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani was released from prison. Pastor Nadarkhani, a convert from Islam and the leader of a 400-member house church, was arrested in 2018 on charges of acting against national security and promoting “Zionist Christianity.” In a separate case from 2010, he was sentenced to death on apostasy and evangelism charges, though the sentence and charge of apostasy were later dropped.

“USCIRF welcomes news of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani’s long-overdue release. The Iranian regime has relentlessly targeted Christian converts from Islam for peacefully practicing their faith. Though we are relieved by his release many still remain imprisoned. We call for the release of all religious prisoners in Iran,” said Vice Chair Abraham Cooper. “The U.S. government must continue to work with its partners in the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance to hold Iranian authorities accountable for its unjustified arrests and many violations of freedom of religion or belief.”

Iran’s constitution does not recognize Evangelical Christian communities, unlike other Christian communities that are afforded nominal recognition. Authorities often raid Evangelical communities’ peaceful religious gatherings, especially during Christmas celebrations. Iran’s government particularly targets Christians who have converted from Islam, including Pastor Nadarkhani. In February 2021, during his detention at Evin Prison, Nadarkhani reportedly contracted COVID-19 putting his health at serious risk.

“Pastor Nadarkhani’s repeated unjust detentions on the basis of his faith are illustrative of the Iranian authorities’ utter contempt for freedom of religion or belief and persecution of religious communities,” said USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Magid. “The U.S. government must use all available options to hold accountable Iranian officials responsible for or complicit in these egregious violations.”

In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. State Department redesignate Iran as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, which Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced in November 2022.

USCIRF published a country update on religious freedom conditions in Iran in the first half of 2022, held a hearing on “State-Sanctioned Religious Freedom Violations and Coercion by Saudi Arabia and Iran,” discussed the situation for religious prisoners of conscience in Iran on an episode of USCIRF Spotlight Podcast, and published a report on Religious Propaganda in Iran, in addition to highlighting the mandatory hijab law protests. Most recently, USCIRF hosted a hearing on “Religious Freedom and Women’s Rights in Iran,” which highlighted multiple death sentences on religiously grounded charges against Iranian religious prisoners of conscience and concerns of mass executions.

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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].