FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 27, 2018

USCIRF Statement on Tomorrow’s Hearing of Russian Prisoner of Conscience Ivan Matsitsky

WASHINGTON, DC – United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Vice Chair Kristina Arriaga today expressed concern over reports that Russian investigators introduced falsified information into the case against Ivan Matsitsky, a leader in St. Petersburg’s Scientology community who was arrested last year on charges of involvement in an “extremist conspiracy.” The St. Petersburg City Court will hold Matsitsky’s hearing tomorrow, November 28. Vice Chair Arriaga, who advocates for th­e release of Matsitsky as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience Project, said, “It is outrageous that on top of unjustly detaining him because of his religious identity, a Russian court is now set to consider falsified information against Ivan. This information was introduced into Ivan’s case in flagrant violation of procedural standards, and it must be rejected. I again call on Russian authorities to immediately release Ivan and end the concerted effort to intimidate and abuse members of all faith communities. The Russian state must uphold its obligation to respect the religious freedom of all; it is simply not free to choose which religions deserve protection and which do not.”

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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 threats to 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] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 26, 2018
 

USCIRF Condemns Reappearance of Content Promoting Hatred and Violence in Saudi Textbooks

New report provides evidence of reappearance of inflammatory content against non-Muslims, women, and gay men

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today announced the release of its report, “A Survey of 2017-2018 Saudi Middle and High School Textbooks,” which finds a troubling rise in intolerant content in Saudi textbooks promoting hatred and violence. The textbooks particularly demonize and target Shi’a and Sufi Muslims, non-Muslims, critics of Islam, women, and members of the LGBTI community. The report notes that “unlike past revisions to textbooks where progress had been made, these most recent texts contained several intolerant and inflammatory passages.”

“Despite a commitment by Saudi officials to address this problem, these passages teaching hate and violence have reappeared in Saudi textbooks,” said USCIRF Chair Tenzin Dorjee. “The reappearance of some of these passages raises serious questions about whether Saudi Arabia is pursuing meaningful reform in their education system and curriculum. Perhaps even more troubling is that this inflammatory content continues to make its way around the world in Saudi-supported schools and is used by extremist groups like ISIS.”

The report surveys 22 middle and high school textbooks used in Saudi and Saudi-funded schools abroad during the 2017-2018 academic year, comprising nearly 3,000 pages of text. The textbooks encourage both violent and non-violent jihad against non-believers and espouse the death penalty for women who have an affair and for gay men. The textbooks also teach that those who worship differently from the Saudi state-sanctioned interpretation of Islam are polytheists who will go to hell regardless of their good deeds. Shi’a and Sufi veneration of the gravesites of prophets is dismissed as “heresy” while criticism of Islam is deemed “apostasy,” for which the textbooks endorse the death penalty. Finally, the textbooks caution students to avoid friendship with members of other religions.

USCIRF has monitored and reported on the content of Saudi textbooks for more than fifteen years. Commissioners have raised concerns over the content of textbooks in meetings with Saudi government officials during visits to the Kingdom in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, and 2018, and during numerous meetings with Saudi officials in Washington, DC. In March 2018, USCIRF delivered a letter conveying concern over intolerant content in the 2017-2018 textbooks to His Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his visit to Washington, DC.

USCIRF again recommended this year that Saudi Arabia be designated as a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. Although the State Department has designated Saudi Arabia a CPC since 2004, in 2006 it placed an indefinite waiver on taking any action as a consequence of the CPC designation. USCIRF continues to urge the U.S. government to lift the waiver.

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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 threats to 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] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 8, 2018

USCIRF Commissioner Nadine Maenza to Advocate for Imprisoned Saudi Blogger Raif Badawi

Commissioner Maenza recently visited Saudi Arabia as part of a USCIRF delegation

WASHINGTON, DC — Nadine Maenza, a commissioner on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), today announced her adoption of Raif Badawi, to advocate for his release, as part of USCIRF’s Religious Prisoners of Conscience.

Raif Badawi is a Saudi blogger who edited the online forum Free Saudi Liberals. He was detained in 2012 on blasphemy charges. In 2014, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes. He received the first 50 lashes publicly in January 2015 outside a mosque in Jeddah. Although he was to receive 50 lashes in the same setting each week, a medical doctor determined he could not physically endure more lashings. Following international outcry, future lashings have been postponed.

“I feel privileged to be able to advocate for Raif Badawi,” said Maenza. “He started one of his banned blog posts by saying, ‘Freedom of speech is the air that any thinker breathes; it’s the fuel that ignites the fire of an intellectual’s thoughts.’ The only ‘crime’ this thoughtful young man ever committed was exercising this right – which everyone, everywhere should be able to do without fearing reprisals from the state. We need more people like Raif Badawi - willing to question the establishment and encourage the peaceful exchange of ideas.

“I had the opportunity to visit Saudi Arabia recently as part of a USCIRF delegation. While I saw some positive changes and met earnest people working to open up the country, there has been no movement towards freedom of thought, conscience, or religion. With the world watching, now would be the perfect time for the Kingdom to expand these rights.

“I would respectfully ask King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to release Raif Badawi so that he may rejoin his wife and young children. This would go far towards showing the international community that they are serious about reforms and opening up the Kingdom to foreign investment and travel.

“Until he is released, Raif’s detention as a prisoner of conscience will continue to draw international attention to the serious religious freedom violations in Saudi Arabia. I am committed to taking every opportunity to advocate for Raif’s Badawi until he is released.”

In 2015, Raif Badawi received the prestigious Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. USCIRF has repeatedly called for his release since he was imprisoned, including through a 2015 letter to King Salman urging Badawi’s release.

USCIRF again recommended this year that Saudi Arabia be designated as a “country of particular concern” for systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom. Although the State Department has designated Saudi Arabia a CPC since 2004, in 2006 it placed an indefinite waiver on taking any action as a consequence of the CPC designation. USCIRF continues to urge the U.S. government to lift the waiver.

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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 threats to 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] or Kellie Boyle at [email protected] or +1-703-898-6554.