May 05
May 5th 2:00pm
-
May 5th 3:30pm
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing
Governance in Nigeria: Foundation for Securing Freedom of Religion or Belief
May 5, 2025
2:00 PM-3:30 PM EDT
Cannon House Office Building - Caucus Room
Please join the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for a hearing on freedom of religion or belief in Nigeria.
Despite government efforts to reduce attacks by non-state actors on Christians, Muslims and traditional religious practitioners, religious freedom conditions remain poor. Violence is a continuing threat to faith communities in the Northeast, Northwest, and Middle Belt parts of the country. Additionally, Nigerian federal government and several state governments enforce blasphemy laws to prosecute and imprison individuals, including Christians, Muslims, and humanists, for allegedly insulting religion.
In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. In August 2024, USCIRF released a country update to examine Nigeria’s threats to religious freedom.
Witnesses will discuss religious freedom conditions throughout the country, including violence targeting religious communities perpetrated by non-state actors. Witnesses will also discuss current U.S. policy as it relates to foreign assistance programming that advances religious freedom by addressing conflict and security in Nigeria.
Opening Remarks
- Stephen Schneck, USCIRF Chair
- Maureen Ferguson, USCIRF Commissioner
Panel I
- Frank R. Wolf, Former USCIRF Commissioner and U.S. Congressman
- Samah Norquist, Former Chief Advisor for International Religious Freedom to the Administrator of the USAID
Panel II
- Jumo Ayandele, Visiting Assistant Professor of Practice at New York University’s Center for Global Affairs
- Zakaria Bulus, Fellow, University of Michigan, Gerald Ford School of Public Policy, Development and Humanitarian Assistance Expert and Program Implementer
- Shamsuddeen Magaji Bello, Ohio University Scholar, Muslim Founder of Kebbi Community Action
Additional witnesses may be added.
This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions or to schedule an interview, please email [email protected].
Mar 25, 2025
USCIRF Releases 2025 Annual Report
Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released its 2025 Annual Report. The report documents religious freedom conditions in 2024 and recommends policy to the White House, Congress, and State Department to advance freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) abroad. Congress mandated USCIRF’s Annual Report in the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998.
“As repressive governments and violent entities attack and drastically erode freedom of religion or belief, USCIRF’s independent reporting and bipartisan recommendations have never been more critical to U.S. foreign policy,” said USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck. “The U.S. government must continue to stand firm against these threats against the universal right of religious freedom.”
“Despite the escalating threats to freedom of religion or belief, there is real opportunity to stave off any retreat of this fundamental freedom and, if pursued with energy and determination, to advance it,” said USCIRF Vice Chair Meir Soloveichik. “Religious freedom is a clear priority of the United States. USCIRF’s 2025 Annual Report points the way forward for policy that advances religious freedom in a fast-changing world.”
Highlights from the 2025 Annual Report include:
- Sixteen countries recommended to the Secretary of State for designation as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) for particularly severe FoRB violations under IRFA.
- Twelve countries recommended to the Secretary of State for Special Watch List (SWL) designation for severe FoRB violations under IRFA.
- Seven entities recommended for designation as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC).
- Broad policy recommendations to the Legislative and Executive Branches.
- Overview of escalating FoRB challenges in 28 countries, dangers posed by violent entities, and global threats.
- Review of FoRB policy implemented by the U.S. government.
The annual report, including all recommendations, can be accessed at USCIRF.gov. Commissioners are available for interviews with the press. To schedule an interview, contact [email protected].
###
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.
Mar 19
Mar 19th 10:30am
U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Hearing
Religious Freedom Conditions in Taliban-Controlled Afghanistan
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
10:30AM – 12:00PM EST
Virtual
Hearing Transcript
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) held a virtual hearing on Afghanistan.
Religious freedom conditions have been dire since the Taliban’s takeover of the country in 2021. In 2024, the Taliban intensified their crackdown on religious minorities and enacted dozens of edicts to severely limit the religious freedom of all Afghans, including those with different interpretations of Islam. These draconian edicts have disproportionately impacted Afghan women and girls, subjecting them to arbitrary arrest, forced disappearance, and harassment for their perceived religious dissent. Simultaneously, the Islamic State-Khorasan (ISIS-K) has stepped up its campaign of terror throughout the country, targeting religious minorities such as the Hazara Shi’a population.
In December 2023, the U.S. State Department designated the Taliban as an entity of particular concern (EPC). In its 2024 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that the U.S. Department of State designate Afghanistan as a Country of Particular Concern, or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom. In August 2024, USCIRF released a country update to examine the Taliban’s restrictions on religious freedom.
Witnesses discussed current religious freedom conditions throughout the country, including the Taliban’s systematic enforcement of religious edicts. They also discussed current U.S. policy and share recommendations for the U.S. government to support religious freedom in Afghanistan.
Opening Remarks
- Stephen Schneck, USCIRF Chair
- Meir Soloveichik, USCIRF Vice Chair
Written Remarks
Panel I
- Richard Bennett, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Afghanistan
Written Testimony - Rina Amiri, former Special Envoy for Afghan Women, Girls, and Human Rights
Panel II
- Metra Mehran, Afghanistan Advocacy Fellow, Amnesty International
Written Testimony - Fereshta Abbasi, Researcher, Asia Division, Human Rights Watch
Written Testimony - Joseph Azam, Board Chair, Afghan-American Foundation
Written Testimony - Kate Clark, Co-Director and Senior Analyst, Afghanistan Analyst Network
Written Testimony
This hearing is open to Members of Congress, congressional staff, the public, and the media. The video recording of the hearing will be posted on the Commission website. For any additional questions or to schedule an interview, please email [email protected].