US Agency Reports 35 Countries Continue to Repress Religious Freedom
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has issued its 2025 Annual Report of countries it considers to be the most egregious violators of religious liberty.
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The report’s recommendations begin with “the prompt appointment of an Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, who leads initiatives through the US Department of State to highlight and address religious freedom concerns around the world.” President Trump has nominated former North Carolina Congressman Mark Walker for that position. If confirmed by the Senate, as expected, Walker will be the seventh person to serve in this role.
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The US Dept. of State’s Office of International Religious Freedom promotes universal respect for freedom of religion or belief for all as a core objective of US foreign policy. It monitors religiously motivated abuses, harassment, and discrimination worldwide, and recommend, develop, and implement policies and programs to address these concerns (see previous USCIRF Annual Reports).
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According to the report, “armed conflicts contributed to the displacement of many individuals in 2024, forcing them to seek refuge while causing destruction to houses of worship and severely impeding the ability of many individuals, families, and communities to practice their religion or belief. State and nonstate actors alike invoked religion or belief to justify atrocities that, in many cases, disproportionately impacted or even targeted religious groups.”
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Highlights of the 2025 Annual Report include:
- 16 countries are recommended to the Secretary of State for designation as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) for particularly severe freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) violations under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998—violations such as “torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; prolonged detention without charges; causing the disappearance of persons by the abduction or clandestine detention of those persons; or other flagrant denial of the right to life, liberty, or the security of persons.”
- 12 countries are recommended to the Secretary of State for Special Watch List (SWL) designation for severe FoRB violations under IRFA.
- 7 entities are recommended for designation as Entities of Particular Concern (EPC).
- An overview of escalating FoRB challenges in 28 countries, dangers posed by violent entities, and global threats.
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The report’s list of CPCs is nearly identical to the 2024 list—a reflection, according to the report, that in most of those countries, repression has not improved but often has worsened. The current report recommends the redesignation of these 12 countries: Burma, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. It also seeks designation of four others: Afghanistan, India, Nigeria, and Vietnam.
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The report’s list of 12 SWLs consists of Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Syria, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.
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USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck says the repetition in its requests about Countries of Particular Concern reflects the troubled state of religious liberty worldwide. “It’s become much worse in several places, including Iran, Nicaragua, and, frankly, Russia,” he said, adding that key drivers are often authoritarian governments and religious nationalism in countries such as Myanmar (which the report calls Burma), India, and Turkey. “We’re not seeing progress. In fact, in most of the countries on this list, we’re seeing regress.”
Also read the Religion News Service article, Nigerian Faith Leaders Appeal to US to Pressure Their Country on Religious Violence
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