USCIRF Spotlight Podcast

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Worrying Trends for Religious Freedom in Central and Eastern Africa Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

Across central and eastern Africa there are many dynamics at play, including political crises and violent insurgencies, both of which pose challenges to freedom of religion or belief. These trends and developments are especially concerning in countries such as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Kenya.

USCIRF Policy Analysts Mohy Omer and Madeline Vellturo join us to elaborate on increasing problematic government actions towards religious leaders and several religious communities in these and other countries in the region.

Pakistan’s Laws Enable Islamist Extremism Dec 21, 2021

Show notes

The continued systematic enforcement of blasphemy and anti-Ahmadiyya laws have resulted in the discrimination and persecution of religious minority communities. In 2021 alone, there have been several examples of mob violence, targeted killings, and the desecration of graves and houses of worship. These laws have enabled and encouraged Islamist extremists to operate with impunity, easily targeting religious minorities or those with differing beliefs.

USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst and South Asia specialist Niala Mohammad joins us to elaborate upon the most pressing concerns impacting religious freedom conditions in Pakistan.

Read USCIRF’s Factsheet on Ahmadiyya Persecution

Read USCCIRF’s Factsheet on the Destruction of Cemeteries

Check out our other podcast episodes on Pakistan

State Department Designations and USCIRF Recommendations: Where do they line up? Dec 17, 2021

Show notes

Pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (IRFA), the State Department is required to issue annual designations for the most egregious violators of religious freedom. In advance of these designations, USCIRF recommends in its Annual Report each year the countries the State Department should designate as such.

The State Department issued its latest list of Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) and countries placed on its Special Watch List (SWL) on November 17, 2021—which included some USCIRF recommendations, but with notable exclusions.

USCIRF Chair Nadine Maenza joins us today to discuss the State Department’s designations, how they differ from USCIRF’s recommendations, and consider the role of these designations in promoting and protecting religious freedom around the world.

Read USCIRF’s Factsheet on State Department Designations

Read USCIRF’s press release responding to the State Department designations

An Update on Religious Freedom Conditions in Turkey Dec 10, 2021

Show notes

Religious freedom conditions in Turkey continue to follow a disappointing, negative trajectory. The Hagia Sophia conversion, the continued closure of the Halki Seminary, government meddling in the internal affairs of religious minority communities, concerns about the education curriculum, hate speech, and Turkey’s intervention in northern Syria and Iraq are just some of the major threats to religious freedom that have occurred in the past year.

USCIRF Policy Analyst John Lechner joins us today to discuss recent developments for religious freedom in Turkey.

Read the 2021 Turkey Country Update

USCIRF Spotlight episode “Sivas Massacre and Turkey’s Persecution of the Alevi Community”

USCIRF Spotlight episode “50 Years and Counting: The Continued Closure of Halki Seminary in Turkey”

Renewed Concerns Over Religious Tensions in Bosnia Dec 03, 2021

Show notes

From 1992-1995, Bosnia endured a brutal ethno-religious war, as Bosnian Serbs ethnically cleansed their Muslim neighbors in the east of the country. The 1995 Dayton Accords, brokered by the United States, ended the conflict, and created a unique power-sharing arrangement between predominantly Orthodox Christian Serbs, Muslim Bosniaks, and Catholic Croats. This fragile arrangement now appears to be in crisis and USCIRF remains very concerned about the prospect of renewed violence and religious freedom violations.

USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst Jason Morton joins us today to provide some background on Bosnia and discuss the religious freedom situation in more detail.

Uzbekistan’s Religious and Political Prisoners Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Last month, we released a new report titled “Uzbekistan’s Religious and Political Prisoners: Addressing a Legacy of Repression.” The report estimates that more than 2,000 individuals remain imprisoned by the Uzbekistan government for peacefully practicing their religious beliefs, and documents the cases of 81 specific prisoners, many of whom are serving some of the longest politically-motivated jail sentences in the world.

Steve Swerdlow, the author of the report, and Babur Yusupov, the son of one of the 81 prisoners of conscience listed in the report, join us today to discuss these important findings.

Read the full report on “Uzbekistan’s Religious and Political Prisoners: Addressing a Legacy of Repression.”

Religious Tolerance Efforts in the Middle East Nov 16, 2021

Show notes

The United Nations marks November 16 each year as the International Day for Tolerance. Religious tolerance is one key component of tolerance overall. Governments in the Middle East have increasingly espoused a doctrine of religious tolerance, especially after September 11, 2001. Along the same lines, the U.S. government has encouraged greater tolerance abroad as an antidote to extremism, especially violent extremism. Many countries in the Middle East showcase their churches, synagogues, and mosques as evidence of tolerance. The recently signed Abraham Accords have also reignited the conversation on religious tolerance.

USCIRF Supervisory Policy Analyst Scott Weiner joins us today to discuss the potential pitfalls of promoting religious tolerance rather than freedom of religion or belief as defined in the international human rights standards. He also discusses the difference between the two, and how the U.S. government can support religious tolerance in a way that most effectively advances the national interest in promoting religious freedom.

Political Instability Fuels Decline for Religious Freedom in Malaysia Nov 12, 2021

Show notes

Malaysia has experienced unprecedented political instability in recent years. During this time, Malaysian authorities from various political parties in several states and the federal government have continued to pursue policies to further restrict religious freedom. Furthermore, while Malaysia’s dual justice system supposedly places the civil court above Shari’a law, it also devolves the ability to develop religious laws to each state and the Federal Territories. These laws are obligatory for Muslims, which results in legal restrictions to their religious practices.

USCIRF Policy Analyst Patrick Greenwalt joins us today to elaborate on how the freedom of religion or belief is being threatened in Malaysia, and ways that the U.S. government can help improve religious freedom conditions there.

Read USCIRF’s newest Country Update on Malaysia

Algeria’s Increasing Hostility Towards Religious Minorities Nov 05, 2021

Show notes

In recent years, Algerian authorities have shown more hostility towards religious minorities, forcibly closing dozens of Protestant churches and prosecuting Ahmadiyya Muslims for gathering without authorization for the purposes of worship. Algerian courts are also increasingly enforcing Algeria’s blasphemy and anti-proselytization laws, targeting Christians, Muslims, and free thinkers.

USCIRF recommends that the U.S. Department of State include Algeria on its Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom. The State Department is scheduled to release its list of designations in November.

Miles Windsor, who covers North Africa and the Middle East for the Religious Freedom Institute, joins us today to expand upon the religious freedom situation in Algeria.

Abuses of Traditional Religion in Russia Oct 29, 2021

Show notes

USCIRF is deeply concerned about religious freedom conditions in the Russian Federation, which have rapidly deteriorated in recent years as the government increasingly mistreats “traditional” religious communities, and targets Jehovah’s Witnesses, with baseless ‘extremism’ charges, and uses unsubstantiated accusations of ‘terrorism’ to imprison Crimean Muslim activists opposed to its illegal annexation of their homeland. USCIRF has covered these violations in numerous publications and hearings, including a report released this week on religious freedom abuses in Chechnya.

USCIRF Senior Policy Analyst Jason Morton joins us today to elaborate on the myriad of religious freedom concerns in Russia and Chechnya in particular.

Read USCIRF’s Issue Update on Religious Freedom Violations in the Republic of Chechnya

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