WASHINGTON, D.C. – Two years ago today, Russia unlawfully annexed the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, cynically using the Orthodox “culture, civilization, and human values” that Russia and Ukraine supposedly share to justify this invasion. On this anniversary, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reiterates its concern about Russian authorities’ violations of religious freedom in Crimea, and urges the international community to take a stand against these abuses.

“The human rights and religious freedom situation in Crimea has deteriorated dramatically since the illegal March 2014 Russian occupation,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George. “Religious minority communities, particularly Muslim Crimean Tatars, suffer because of Russia’s application of its more restrictive criminal and administrative codes, notably its onerous registration requirements and notorious anti-extremism law.”

No religious community remains unscathed, particularly given the Kremlin’s application of its extremism law in Crimea.  Russian authorities have raided Tatar homes, mosques, media outlets, and schools, and the Kingdom Halls of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They also have detained imams and fined individuals simply for possessing Islamic and Jehovah’s Witness text which are banned under the extremism law. Twelve Crimean Tatars, accused by Russian authorities of being members of a banned terrorist organization, were arrested in February 2016 after speaking with international human rights monitors about the repression of Tatars in Crimea.

In order to gain legal operating status, Russia requires all Crimean religious communities registered with the Ukrainian state to re-register under Russia’s more stringent requirements. Of the over 1,500 religious communities with Ukrainian legal status, only 400 were re-registered under Russian authority. Unregistered religious groups, including the Ukrainian Catholic Church – banned by the Kremlin 70 years ago  – and  Armenian Apostolic parishes, cannot open bank accounts, own property, issue invitations to foreign guests, and publish literature.  In view of the Kremlin’s hostility, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kiev Patriarchate did not even apply for registration.

“Russia has spread its net of intolerance to Crimea and freedom of religion or belief has been its victim.  The international community must not be silent in the face of these abuses,” said Chairman George. “Moscow must reform its anti-extremism law, cease its application to Crimea, grant legal status to the 1,500 religious groups that operated before the Russian annexation, and stop harassing religious minorities and those the Moscow Patriarchate views as rivals. USCIRF also urges the U.S. government to apply provisions of the Magnitsky Act and continue to identify Russian government officials responsible for severe violations of religious freedom and human rights, freeze their assets, and bar their entry into the United States.”

USCIRF placed Russia on its Tier 2 list in its 2015 Annual Report. Tier 2 countries are those in which the violations the government engages in or tolerates are serious and characterized by at least one of the elements of IRFA’s “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” standard. For more information, see the Russia chapter in USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report.

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or 202-786-0615.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — March 15 marks the 5^th anniversary of the peaceful protests that set the stage for the Syrian conflict.  This conflict has spawned a devastating humanitarian crisis with a death toll ranging between 250,000 and 470,000, 4.7 million Syrians registered as refugees in neighboring countries, more than 6.5 million internally displaced, and over 140,000 children born stateless.  This brutal conflict has become sectarian in nature, with Syria now an overwhelmingly hostile place for all ethno-religious groups, including Alawites, Christians, Druze, Shi’a and Sunni Muslims, and Turkmen.  

“The actions of the Bashar al-Assad regime, elements of the armed opposition, and terrorist groups, particularly the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and Jabhat al-Nusra, are responsible for the bloody conflagration in Syria. Along with the millions of Syrians who have been killed and displaced, the country’s religious diversity has been irrevocably damaged, with dire consequences that go far beyond the region,” said USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George.

The civil war in Syria began in March 2011 when opponents of the oppressive al-Assad regime, mostly Sunni Muslims, peacefully protested and called for the repeal of the country's abusive emergency law, space for political parties, and President Bashar al-Assad’s resignation.  The al-Assad regime responded with a brutal crackdown and played on sectarian fears. U.S. designated terrorist groups, including Hezbollah, have supported the regime. The regime’s opponents included dozens of domestic and foreign groups, among them some that espouse democracy and are recognized by the United States, and others that are motivated by ideologies, religious or secular, that espouse violence, including ISIL.

“Over 13.5 million people in Syria need humanitarian assistance, as do the millions forced to flee to neighboring nations, including Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.  Such large numbers of refugees are straining resources and exacerbating sectarian tensions in these countries.  The United States has done much, having contributed over $4.5 billion in humanitarian aid to Syrians and neighboring countries, but more needs to be done given the scale of this crisis, not only for the sake of these millions of people, but for regional stability and U.S. national security,” said Chairman George.

USCIRF calls on the U.S. government to work with our international partners to prioritize the protection of and assistance to all non-combatant Syrians, especially vulnerable religious and ethnic minorities, and help ensure that issues related to religious freedom and human rights are included in any political negotiations that seek to end this devastating crisis.  USCIRF also urges the U.S. government to increase the number of Syrians accepted for resettlement to 100,000, subject to proper security vetting and a prioritization based on vulnerability, in order to aid those in the greatest peril, demonstrate U.S. leadership, and show support for governments in the Middle East and Europe that are hosting millions of refugees. USCIRF also calls on the U.S. government to allocate sufficient resources to the Department of Homeland Security and other agencies that conduct the rigorous individualized vetting of refugees being considered for resettlement in the United States, to allow them to expeditiously process applications and thoroughly conduct background checks in order to facilitate resettlements without compromising U.S. national security. 

USCIRF has recommended since 2014 that Syria be designated as a “country of particular concern,” or CPC, under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.   For more information, see USCIRF’s 2015 Annual Report chapter on Syria.  

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected] or 202-786-0615.

WASHINGTON, D.C.  – The Indian government today failed to issue visas to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) in time for a long planned trip to India. The goal of the Commission’s trip was to discuss and assess religious freedom conditions in that nation.

“We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in effect, of these visas.  As a pluralistic, non-sectarian, and democratic state, and a close partner of the United States, India should have the confidence to allow our visit. USCIRF has been able to travel to many countries, including those that are among the worst offenders of religious freedom, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China, and Burma.  One would expect that the Indian government would allow for more transparency than have these nations, and would welcome the opportunity to convey its views directly to USCIRF,” said Robert P. George, Chairman of USCIRF.

The USCIRF delegation was scheduled to leave on March 4 and had the support of the State Department and the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi.  USCIRF’s principal responsibilities include reviewing, through the lens of international human rights law, the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and making policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.  USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission with commissioners appointed by the President and the leaders in both Houses of Congress. 

“USCIRF will continue to pursue a visit to India, given the ongoing reports from religious communities, civil society groups, and NGOs that the conditions for religious freedom in India have been deteriorating since 2014,” said Chairman George.

For more information about India see USCIRF’s chapter from the 2015 Annual Report. 

To interview a USCIRF Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at [email protected].