FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2001

Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today issued an Addendum to its May 1, 2001 Annual Report containing chapters on Egypt and Saudi Arabia. The reports on the Middle Eastern countries were compiled following a Commission trip to the region in late March, too late for inclusion in the Annual Report itself.

On Egypt, the Commission found that despite some positive developments, serious problems of discrimination against a number of religious groups - particularly Christians and Baha'is - remain widespread. In addition, the government maintains tight control over all Muslim religious institutions. The Commission recommended that the U.S. government (1) monitor closely the conditions of religious freedom in Egypt; (2) raise these issues prominently in bilateral relations with the Egyptian government, including at the highest levels; and (3) urge the Egyptian government to accelerate progress on addressing these issues and promoting the religious freedom of all Egyptians. Commissioner Nina Shea issued a concurring opinion with reservations.

On Saudi Arabia, the Commission remains concerned over the extremely poor conditions of religious freedom there. As the State Department has bluntly summarized the situation in Saudi Arabia in its annual reports on international religious freedom: "Freedom of religion does not exist." The Commission recommended that the U.S. government:

• designate Saudi Arabia as a "country of particular concern" under the International Religious Freedom Act;

• consistently press the Saudi government to expand and safeguard the freedom to worship privately of non-Muslims and of those Muslims who do not follow the government's interpretation and presentation of Islam; including permission for clergy to enter the country and perform private religious services for Saudi residents;

• urge the Saudi government to engage in dialogue with the international leaders of those religious communities represented in Saudi Arabia;

• encourage the Saudi government to promote religious tolerance and respect toward all religions in their education system;

• urge the Saudi government to grant access to human rights reporters from international and non-governmental organizations and to journalists.

The Commission also recommended that reports by the State Department on religious liberty in Saudi Arabia should reflect more accurately the extreme difficulties for religious believers there. Commissioners Theodore Cardinal McCarrick and David Saperstein issued concurring views.

The Commission sees its study of the situation in Israel and the Occupied Territories as a complex matter requiring additional work. Commissioners did not feel they were ready to make formal recommendations. Commissioner Laila Al-Marayati issued a dissenting view.

The full text of the reports, recommendations, and individual opinions can be found on the Commission Web site at www.uscirf.gov or can be obtained by calling the Communications office at (202) 523-3240

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." 

Hon. Elliott Abrams, Chair

• Dr. Firuz Kazemzadeh, Vice Chair Rabbi David Saperstein, Laila Al-Marayati, M.D.Hon. John R. Bolton, Dean Michael K. Young, Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick, Nina Shea, Justice Charles Z. Smith, Ambassador Robert Seiple, Ex-Officio Steven T. McFarland, Executive Director

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 11, 2001

Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom today welcomed a decision by the Securities and Exchange Commission to require foreign companies doing business in countries subject to U.S. sanctions to disclose more fully those activities in their registration statements. The action was disclosed in a May 8 letter to Rep. Frank Wolf (R) of Virginia from SEC Acting Chairman Laura Unger.

"Our aim is to make available to investors additional information about situations in which the material proceeds of an offering could - however indirectly - benefit countries, governments, or entities that, as a matter of U.S. foreign policy, are off-limits to U.S. companies," Ms. Unger wrote. "Because of the complex issues involving national security, human rights and religious freedom that have been raised in connection with countries subject to U.S. economic sanctions," the SEC staff will try to review all registration statements filed by foreign companies that are doing business in countries subject to U.S. economic sanctions administered by the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC).

The decision partially implements a recommendation of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in its May 1, 2001 Annual Report. The Commission urged that the United States require any U.S. or foreign issuer of securities that is doing business in a "country of particular concern" so designated under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 be required to disclose the nature and extent of its activities when filing registration statements with the SEC. (Those recommendations can be found on the Commission's Web site at www.uscirf.gov.) The Commission has been particularly concerned with foreign companies doing business in Sudan - where the government is suppressing religious freedom in the course of an 18-year civil war that has taken millions of lives - and seeking to raise funds in U.S. markets. The SEC said it is "reviewing carefully" the Commission's recommendations, which would also cover annual reports and companies doing business in countries such as China, which are subject to U.S. sanctions not administered by OFAC.

"While not going as far as the Commission's recommendations, this move by the SEC is extremely significant," said Commission Chairman Elliott Abrams. "The realization that countries egregiously violating religious freedom and other human rights represent a material risk to investors - especially institutional investors - is ground-breaking. We salute Acting Chairman Unger and her staff for taking this historic step. In addition, we thank Representative Wolf for his tireless advocacy of religious freedom, which was key to bringing this about."

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." src="https://www.uscirf.org/images/layout/subbottomtext1.gif" />

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2001

Contact:
Lawrence J. Goodrich, Communications Director, (202) 523-3240, ext. 27

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom will issue its second Annual Report, which will contain policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The Annual Report addresses religious-freedom issues in almost two dozen countries, with individual recommendations on the following: China, India, Indonesia, Iran, North Korea, Nigeria, Pakistan, Russia, Sudan, Vietnam, access to U.S. capital markets, and U.S. foreign assistance. Commission Chairman Elliott Abrams and other Commission members will hold a press conference to discuss highlights of the report and take questions from the media.

Who:U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

What:Press Conference, Second Annual Report

When:Monday, April 30, 2001, 10:00 a.m.

Where:The Capitol Building, Room HC-8

Copies of the executive summary and the Annual Report will be available at the press conference and will also be posted on the Commission Web site at www.uscirf.gov beginning at 10:00 a.m. They can also be obtained by contacting the Communications department at (202) 523-3240. Interviews with Commissioners may be arranged by contacting Lawrence J. Goodrich, Director of Communications, at (202) 523-3240, ext. 27.

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 to monitor the status of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief abroad, as defined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and related international instruments, and to give independent policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and the Congress." src="https://www.uscirf.org/images/layout/subbottomtext1.gif" />