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Annual Report on International Religious Freedom 2001, Report Submitted to the Committee on International Relations, U.S. House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate by the Department of State in Accordance with Section 102 of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998
"This report is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to Congress by September 1 of each year, or the first day thereafter on which the appropriate House of Congress is in session, ''an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom.'' This Annual Report includes 195 reports on countries worldwide."
United States. Government Printing Office
2001-12
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2005
"This annual report, mandated by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, is the product of a year-round effort by hundreds of Foreign Service and Civil Service officers in the Department of State and U.S. missions abroad. Our human rights officers overseas and the staff of the Office of International Religious Freedom, supported by their colleagues in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor and in regional bureaus of the State Department, deserve particular credit for their dedication in bringing this report to fruition. The purpose of this report is to document the actions of governments those that repress religious expression, persecute innocent believers, or tolerate violence against religious minorities, as well as those that respect, protect, and promote religious freedom. For each country, the report details the legal situation, cultural context, and relevant policies, and describes efforts taken by the U.S. Government to oppose religious persecution and promote religious freedom. The sad truth which this report exposes is that many millions of religious believers continue to suffer for the belief or practice of their faith, and many governments refuse to recognize or protect this right. That so many endure beatings, torture, imprisonment, and even death is a testament to the resilience of faith. It is our hope that, by documenting their plight, this report will serve both as a testament to the courage of those who suffer, and as a challenge to those of us throughout the world who stand for democracy and freedom."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2005
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2006
"The purpose of this report is to document the actions of governments those that repress religious expression, persecute innocent believers, or tolerate violence against religious minorities, as well as those that respect, protect, and promote religious freedom. We strive to report equally on abuses against adherents of all religious traditions and beliefs. The governments we report on range from those that provided a high level of protection for religious freedom in the broadest sense (those that 'generally respected' religious freedom) to totalitarian regimes that sought to control religious thought and expression and regarded some or all religious groups as threats."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2006-09
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2007
"The purpose of this report on religious freedom is to document the actions of governments those that repress religious expression, persecute innocent believers, or tolerate violence against religious minorities, as well as those that respect, protect, and promote religious freedom. We strive to report with fairness and accuracy on abuses against adherents of all religious traditions and beliefs. The governments we report on range from those that provided a high level of protection for religious freedom in the broadest sense (those that 'generally respected' religious freedom) to totalitarian regimes that sought to control religious thought and expression and regarded some or all religious groups as threats."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2007-09
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2004
"In this summary of the status of religious freedom around the world, we examine barriers to religious freedom, note countries where religious freedom conditions have improved, and describe U.S. actions to promote international religious freedom. Millions of people around the world live under totalitarian or authoritarian regimes where religious belief and practice are tightly controlled. Some countries have discriminatory laws or policies that disadvantage certain religions; others are negligent in ensuring that religious minorities or adherents of 'unapproved' religions do not suffer discrimination or persecution. Others stigmatize certain religions by wrongfully associating them with dangerous 'cults' or 'sects.'"
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2004-09-15
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2002
"The International Religious Freedom Report for 2002 is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to Congress by September 1 of each year, or the first day thereafter on which the appropriate House of Congress is in session,' an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom.' This Annual Report includes 192 country chapters on the status of religious freedom worldwide."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2002-10-07
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2003
"The International Religious Freedom Report for 2003 is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to Congress each year 'an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom.' This Annual Report includes individual country chapters on the status of religious freedom worldwide."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2003-12-18
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2008
"The purpose of this report is to record the status of respect for religious freedom in every country around the world during the most recent reporting period--July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008. Our primary focus is to document the actions of governments--those that repress religious expression, persecute believers, and tolerate violence against religious minorities, as well as those that protect and promote religious freedom. We also address societal attitudes on religion and religious minorities and record positive and negative actions taken by nongovernmental actors. We strive to report fairly and accurately, with sensitivity to the complexity of religious freedom issues."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2008-09
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2010
"The Annual Report on International Religious Freedom documents the status of religious freedom during the period from July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010. The Report's primary focus is on the actions of governments, both official actions that contribute to religious repression or tolerate violence against religious communities, and actions that protect and promote religious freedom. Each country report contains sections covering the country's religious demography; government respect for religious freedom (including the legal and policy framework, restrictions on religious freedom, abuses of religious freedom, and improvements and positive developments); societal respect for religious freedom; and U.S. government policy and actions. [...]. The IRF Act also provides the mandate for this report and the principal topics for this Executive Summary: following an introductory overview of challenges to religious freedom, Part I outlines the religious freedom situations in selected countries, Part II addresses U.S. actions in countries that the Secretary of State designated countries of particular concern (CPCs) on January 16, 2009, and Part III highlights efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and understanding"
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2010-11-17
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2009
"The Annual Report on International Religious Freedom records the status of respect for religious freedom in all countries during the period from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. The Annual Report's primary focus is on the actions of governments, including those that contribute to religious repression or tolerate violence against religious minorities as well as those that protect and promote religious freedom. Each country report contains sections covering the country's religious demography; government respect for religious freedom (including the legal and policy framework, restrictions on religious freedom, abuses of religious freedom, and improvements and positive developments); societal respect for religious freedom; and U.S. Government policy and actions. We strive to report fairly and accurately, with sensitivity to the complexity of religious freedom in varied settings. [...]. The IRF Act [International Religious Freedom Act of 1998] also provides the mandate for this report and prescribes the principal topics for this Executive Summary: following an introductory overview of challenges to religious freedom, Part I outlines the religious freedom situations in selected countries, Part II addresses U.S. actions in designated countries of particular concern (CPCs), and Part III discusses improvements and positive developments, with a special section on efforts to promote interfaith dialogue and understanding."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009-10-26
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2017
This is the 2017 Annual Report detailing religious freedom throughout the world. This commission seeks to identify problem areas where religious minority groups are discriminated against and attempts to highlight efforts to ameliorate these issues. Recommendations are made to Congress on ways to engage the international community on countering religious discrimination within other countries.
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2017-04
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2016
This interactive webpage details the International Religious Freedom Report for 2016. From the overview of the report: "The Department of State submits this report to the Congress in compliance with section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. U.S. embassies prepare the initial drafts of the reports based on information from government officials, religious leaders, nongovernmental organizations, journalists, human rights monitors, religious groups, academics, and others. U.S. foreign service officers go to great lengths, often under difficult circumstances, to collect the information on which the reports are based. The Office of International Religious Freedom collaborates in collecting and analyzing information for the country reports, drawing on its own consultations with foreign government officials, religious leaders, nongovernmental and faith-based organizations, representatives from the UN and other international and regional organizations and institutions, journalists, academic experts, community leaders, and Department of State offices. The Department's guiding principle is to ensure that all relevant information is assessed as objectively, thoroughly, and fairly as possible." Users can access individual Country Reports and various Appendices to be downloaded separately. Links to previous reports are also provided.
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2017-08-15
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2010
"Created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the Commission is an independent U.S. government commission that monitors violations of the right to freedom religion or belief abroad, and gives independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The passage of IRFA reinforced the historic commitment of the United States to religious freedom, and the Commission, separate from the State Department, is the first government commission in the world with the sole mission of reviewing and making policy recommendations on the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom globally. In passing IRFA, the U.S. Congress was not trying to enforce an American standard of religious freedom, but rather to promote the universal standard of freedom of religion or belief set forth in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments. During this reporting period, the Commission met with human rights defenders from many nations where violent extremists or repressive regimes threaten fundamental rights and national security. […] The Annual Report contains chapters on countries the Commission has recommended for designation as 'Countries of Particular Concern' (CPCs) for severe violations of religious freedom; countries the Commission has placed on a Watch List for violations of religious freedom that do not meet the CPC threshold but require attention; and other countries the Commission is monitoring closely. The Annual Report also includes chapters on U.S. policy on expedited removal and multilateral organizations."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2010-05
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2009
"Created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the Commission is an independent U.S. government commission that monitors violations of the right to freedom religion or belief abroad, and gives independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The passage of IRFA reinforced the historic commitment of the United States to religious freedom, and the Commission, separate from the State Department, is the first government commission in the world with the sole mission of reviewing and making policy recommendations on the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom globally. In passing IRFA, the U.S. Congress was not trying to enforce an American standard of religious freedom, but rather to promote the universal standard of freedom of religion or belief set forth in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments. During this reporting period, the Commission met with human rights defenders from many nations where violent extremists or repressive regimes threaten fundamental rights and national security. […] The Annual Report contains chapters on countries the Commission has recommended for designation as 'Countries of Particular Concern' (CPCs) for severe violations of religious freedom; countries the Commission has placed on a Watch List for violations of religious freedom that do not meet the CPC threshold but require attention; and other countries the Commission is monitoring closely. The Annual Report also includes chapters on U.S. policy on expedited removal and multilateral organizations."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2009-05
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2007
"The protection of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief is deeply intertwined with other human rights and is a foundation of peaceful, stable, and vibrant societies. Increasingly, advancing religious freedom means promoting fair and non-discriminatory policies across the board, in political events such as elections, refugee policies, and government treatment of the non-governmental sector. 'The issue of religious freedom is now understood to have a profound impact on our own political and national security interests as well as on political stability throughout the world', Felice D. Gaer, the Commission chair, said in her testimony on the Department of State's 2006 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom. 'Religious freedom can neither flourish nor be protected in a vacuum, without being affected by the wider conditions for human rights in any given society', Gaer said. The wide range of activities of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in 2006-2007 reflects this understanding. Whether advocating vigorous implementation of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement, pressing for free and fair elections in Bangladesh, demanding respect for the rights of those defending religious freedom in China and Vietnam, or analyzing Russia's new legislation governing non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the Commission is working to advance freedom of religion and the conditions necessary to protect it. Policymakers have come to recognize the central place that religious freedom has not only in the area of advancing human rights but also in promoting accountability, conflict resolution, and reconciliation within societies."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2007-05
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for July-December 2010
"The Department of State submits this report to the Congress in compliance with section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of State, with the assistance of the Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom, shall transmit to Congress 'an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom.' The Annual Report has historically covered a reporting period from July 1of one year through June 30 of the following year. The current Report, however, covers a six-month period from July 1, 2010, through December 31, 2010, because the Department of State is shifting to a calendar year reporting period." From the Introduction: "This International Religious Freedom Report documents major developments with respect to religious freedom in 198 countries and territories from July-December 2010. The report reflects a broad understanding of universal religious freedom, one that includes the rights to hold private beliefs, including agnosticism or atheism, as well as the right to communal religious expression and education. The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRF Act) defines five types of violations of religious freedom: arbitrary prohibitions on, restrictions of, or punishment for (i) assembling for peaceful religious activities, such as worship, preaching, and prayer, including arbitrary registration requirements; (ii) speaking freely about one's religious beliefs; (iii) changing one's religious beliefs and affiliation; (iv) possession and distribution of religious literature, including Bibles and other sacred texts; and (v) raising one's children in the religious teachings and practices of one's choice."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2011-09-13
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2011
"Our beliefs help define who we are and serve as a foundation for what we contribute to our societies. However, as the 2011 International Religious Freedom Report documents, too many people live under governments that abuse or restrict freedom of religion. People awaken, work, suffer, celebrate, raise children, and mourn unable to follow the dictates of their faith or conscience. Yet, under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, governments have committed to respect freedom of religion. As President Barack Obama said, they ought to 'bear witness and speak out' when violations of religious freedom occur. With these reports, we bear witness and speak out. We speak against authoritarian governments that repressed forms of expression, including religious freedom. Governments restricted religious freedom in a variety of ways, including registration laws that favored state-sanctioned groups, blasphemy laws, and treatment of religious groups as security threats. The report focuses special attention on key trends such as the impact of political and demographic transitions on religious minorities, who tended to suffer the most in 2011; the effects of conflict on religious freedom; and the rising tide of anti-Semitism. Impacted groups, to name just a few, included Baha'is and Sufis in Iran; Christians in Egypt; Ahmadis in Indonesia and Pakistan; Muslims in a range of countries, including in Europe; Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, and Uighur Muslims in China; and Jews in many parts of the world."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2012-07-30?
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2012
"Our beliefs help define who we are and serve as a foundation for what we contribute to our societies. However, as the 2011 International Religious Freedom Report documents, too many people live under governments that abuse or restrict freedom of religion. People awaken, work, suffer, celebrate, raise children, and mourn unable to follow the dictates of their faith or conscience. Yet, under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, governments have committed to respect freedom of religion. As President Barack Obama said, they ought to 'bear witness and speak out' when violations of religious freedom occur. With these reports, we bear witness and speak out. We speak against authoritarian governments that repressed forms of expression, including religious freedom. Governments restricted religious freedom in a variety of ways, including registration laws that favored state-sanctioned groups, blasphemy laws, and treatment of religious groups as security threats. The report focuses special attention on key trends such as the impact of political and demographic transitions on religious minorities, who tended to suffer the most in 2011; the effects of conflict on religious freedom; and the rising tide of anti-Semitism. Impacted groups, to name just a few, included Baha'is and Sufis in Iran; Christians in Egypt; Ahmadis in Indonesia and Pakistan; Muslims in a range of countries, including in Europe; Tibetan Buddhists, Christians, and Uighur Muslims in China; and Jews in many parts of the world."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2012-07-30?
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2013
This interactive webpage details the International Religious Freedom Report for 2013. From the U.S. Department of State website: "The annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom -- the International Religious Freedom Report -- describes the status of religious freedom in every country. The report covers government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and U.S. policies to promote religious freedom around the world. The U.S. Department of State submits the reports in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998." Users can access individual Country Reports and various Appendices to be downloaded separately. Links to the 2011 and 2012 reports are also provided.
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2014?
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2015
"Humanitarian crises fueled by waves of terror, intimidation, and violence have engulfed an alarming number of countries in the year since the release of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom's (USCIRF) prior Annual Report last May. The previous quotations highlight five of these nations -- Iraq, Syria, Nigeria, Central African Republic, and Burma -- and the horrific loss of human life, freedom, and dignity that has accompanied the chaos. A horrified world has watched the results of what some have aptly called violence masquerading as religious devotion. In both Iraq and Syria, no religious group has been free of ISIL's [Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant] depredations in areas it has conquered. ISIL has unleashed waves of terror upon Yazidis and Christians, Shi'a and Sunnis, as well as others who have dared to oppose its extremist views. When ISIL last June overtook Mosul, Iraq's second largest city, it immediately murdered 12 dissenting Sunni clerics, kidnapped Christian priests and nuns, and leveled ancient houses of worship. The recent discovery of mass graves underscores the extent of the atrocities ISIL has perpetrated on foes of its reign. More than half a million Mosul residents have fled their homes. When ISIL seized Sinjar, the Yazidis' ancestral homeland, 200,000 were forced to flee. In Syria, ISIL's horrors are replicated by those of other religious extremist groups and the Assad government. Yazidis and Christians have borne the worst brunt of the persecution by ISIL and other violent religious extremists. From summary executions to forced conversions, rape to sexual enslavement, abducted children to destroyed houses of worship, attacks on these communities are part of a systematic effort to erase their presence from the Middle East."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2015
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2014
This compilation details the International Religious Freedom Report for 2014. From the U.S. Department of State website: "The annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom -- the International Religious Freedom Report -- describes the status of religious freedom in every country. The report covers government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and U.S. policies to promote religious freedom around the world. The U.S. Department of State submits the reports in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2015-10?
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report [website]
This webpage contains all annual reports of the U.S. Department of State's International Religious Freedom project. From the U.S. Department of State website: "The annual Report to Congress on International Religious Freedom -- the International Religious Freedom Report -- describes the status of religious freedom in every country. The report covers government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and U.S. policies to promote religious freedom around the world. The U.S. Department of State submits the reports in accordance with the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998." Users can access individual Country Reports and various Appendices to be downloaded separately.
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2017
From the Press Release: "This report is a testament to the United States' historic role in preserving and advocating for religious freedom around the world. [...] This report demonstrates the hard work of American diplomats to protect American and universal values. I'm proud of my team in completing this report. The release of the 2017 International Religious Freedom Report is critical to our mission to defend religious liberty. It brings to light the state of religious freedom all over the world. It documents, across 200 countries and territories, reports of violations and abuses committed by governments, terrorist groups, and individuals so that we may work together to solve them."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2018-05-29
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International Religious Freedom Act: State Department and Commission Are Implementing Responsibilities but Need to Improve Interaction, Report to Congressional Committees
"Congress passed the Act in 1998 to promote international religious freedom, among other purposes. The Act established within State the Office of International Religious Freedom, headed by an Ambassador-at-Large. The Act also established USCIRF [U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom], with the Ambassador-at-Large as an ex-officio member. In addition, the Act outlined primary responsibilities for both State and USCIRF. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom Reform and Reauthorization Act of 2011 required GAO [Government Accountability Office] to report on matters related to the U.S. promotion of international religious freedom. This report assesses (1) State's implementation of its primary responsibilities established in the Act, (2) USCIRF's implementation of its primary responsibilities established in the Act, (3) State's and USCIRF's interaction to promote religious freedom, and (4) NGOs' views on U.S. efforts to promote religious freedom. GAO analyzed documents and interviewed officials from State, USCIRF, NGOs [non-governmental organizations], and foreign governments. GAO conducted fieldwork in five countries, including CPCs [Countries of Particular Concern], and surveyed 131 NGOs. The survey results reflect the views of survey respondents and cannot be generalized. GAO recommends that the Secretary of State and the Chair of USCIRF jointly define how State and USCIRF should interact in their efforts to promote international religious freedom. State and USCIRF concurred with GAO's recommendation."
United States. Government Accountability Office
2013-03-26
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U.S. Department of State: International Religious Freedom Report for 2001
"The International Religious Freedom Report for 2001 is submitted to the Congress by the Department of State in compliance with Section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The law provides that the Secretary of State shall transmit to Congress by September 1 of each year, or the first day thereafter on which the appropriate House of Congress is in session, 'an Annual Report on International Religious Freedom supplementing the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom.' This Annual Report includes 195 reports on economies worldwide."
United States. Department of State. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2001-10-26
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2014
"Created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the Commission is an independent U.S. government commission that monitors violations of the right to freedom religion or belief abroad, and gives independent policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. The passage of IRFA reinforced the historic commitment of the United States to religious freedom, and the Commission, separate from the State Department, is the first government commission in the world with the sole mission of reviewing and making policy recommendations on the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom globally. In passing IRFA, the U.S. Congress was not trying to enforce an American standard of religious freedom, but rather to promote the universal standard of freedom of religion or belief set forth in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments. During this reporting period, the Commission met with human rights defenders from many nations where violent extremists or repressive regimes threaten fundamental rights and national security."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2014
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2013
"The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA) as an entity separate and distinct from the State Department, is an independent, bipartisan U.S. government advisory body that monitors religious freedom worldwide and makes policy recommendations to the President, Secretary of State, and Congress. USCIRF bases these recommendations on the standards found in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international documents. The 2013 Annual Report represents the culmination of a year's work by Commissioners and staff to document abuses on the ground and make independent policy recommendations to the U.S. government. The 2013 Annual Report has been reformatted and is divided into three sections. The first section highlights countries which USCIRF designates as Tier 1 countries. Tier 1 countries are those that USCIRF recommends the United States designate as 'countries of particular concern' (CPCs) under IRFA for their governments' engagement in or toleration of particularly severe violations of religious freedom. Tier 1 countries include countries already officially designated as CPCs by the U.S. government and additional countries USCIRF has concluded meet the CPC threshold and should be so designated. The second section focuses on countries USCIRF designates as Tier 2 countries. The Tier 2 category replaces the Watch List designation used by USCIRF in previous years. Neither Tier 2 nor the Watch List are required by IRFA, but USCIRF created them to highlight situations where religious persecution and other violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the governments are increasing. To be placed on Tier 2, USCIRF must find that the country is on the threshold of CPC status--that the violations engaged in or tolerated by the government are particularly severe and that at least one, but not all three, of the elements of IRFA's 'systematic, ongoing, egregious' standard is met (e.g., the violations are egregious but not systematic or ongoing). The third section discusses other countries and regions USCIRF monitored during the year. This section also examines crosscutting themes affecting religious freedom in a range of countries around the world and highlights issues in multilateral organizations. An appendix contains biographies of Commissioners, supplemental materials, and prisoner lists."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2013-03
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2006
"The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by Congress to advocate within U.S. policy a prominent place for the promotion of religious freedom and other freedoms throughout the world. Now in its seventh year of operation, the Commission is drawing the attention of the policy community to the growing strategic importance of the protection of religious freedom to U.S. national interests, raising greater public awareness as to why religious freedom is a critical component of how countries treat their own people and deal with the world around them, and working with Members of Congress in a truly bipartisan effort to promote religious freedom abroad. [...] This annual report of the Commission provides a comprehensive review of the Commission's activities--its findings, recommendations, and achievements--during the past year to promote the universal right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief. This report describes conditions for religious freedom and inter-related human rights in the countries of concern to the Commission, highlights key findings, reports on the actions the Commission has taken to raise the public's awareness of persistent religious freedom violations, refers to the Commission's efforts to keep Congress informed of religious freedom conditions throughout the world, and presents the Commission's U.S. policy recommendations to ensure that the promotion of freedom of religion or belief becomes a more integral part of U.S. foreign policy."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2006-05
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2005
"The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom was created by Congress to advocate within U.S. policy a prominent place for the promotion of religious freedom and other freedoms throughout the world. Now in its sixth year of operation, the Commission is drawing the attention of policymakers to the growing strategic importance of the protection of religious freedom to U.S. national interests, raising greater public awareness as to why religious freedom is a critical component of how countries treat their own people and deal with the world around them, and working with Members of Congress in a truly bipartisan effort to promote religious freedom abroad. During the past year, the Commission has been especially focused on developing innovative ways of responding to particularly severe religious freedom violators. Until 2004, the State Department limited itself to designating as severe violators, referred to as 'countries of particular concern,' or CPCs, only those countries already subject to existing Presidential actions. The U.S. government's need to respond to the CPC designation with a direct action under IRFA [International Religious Freedom Act of 1998] was thereby diminished."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2005-05
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United States Commission on International Religious Freedom: Annual Report 2004
"This annual report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom provides a comprehensive review of the Commission's findings, recommendations, and achievements during the past year to promote the internationally enshrined right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, or belief. It describes conditions for religious freedom and interrelated human rights in the countries of most concern to the Commission, describes the actions the Commission has taken with regard to those countries, and compiles the Commission's policy recommendations to the U.S. government to make the promotion of freedom of religion or belief a more integral part of U.S. human rights policy. In the five years of its operation, many of the Commission's recommendations concerning several countries that violate international norms of freedom of religion or belief have been implemented by the President, the State Department, and Congress, and have had a significant impact on the protection of human rights, including religious freedom, in those countries."
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
2004-05
