The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress with the passage of the IRF Act of 1998 to monitor, analyze, and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and …

Freedom of religion or belief is both a core American value and a universal human right.  Mandated by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the annual International Religious Freedom Report details the status of religious freedom in 199 foreign countries and territories and describes U.S. actions to advance religious freedom worldwide.  The State Department’s annual report on international religious …

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2024 Annual Report that documents developments during 2023, and provides recommendations to enhance the U.S. government’s promotion of freedom of religion or belief abroad. This is the 25th report issued since the Commission was established by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) in 1998.   Each year USCIRF offers an …

Christianity’s long history in Algeria is threatened. Algeria uses a discriminatory law to crack down on religious minorities. As the government closes churches and slows down the registration process for religious groups, Algerian Christians are finding life increasingly difficult.  The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) confirms that Algeria is escalating repression of religious minorities. In particular, the …

Given their decades long commitment to defending and advancing religious freedom around the world, it is not surprising that the faith community in Midland, Texas has once again stepped forward to support Christians previously persecuted for their faith. Citizens of Midland were active in advocating for the Sudan Peace Act which passed in the US Congress in 2002 and they …

In recognition of 25 years since the International Religious Freedom Act was signed by President Clinton on October 27, 1998, the Secretary of State held a special event to acknowledge the Department’s 2024 International Religious Freedom Award recipients. The following individuals were recognized for their courage and commitment to promoting and defending religious freedom globally: Farid Ahmed, Kola Alapinni, Mirza …

Reprinted from Religionnews.com In its annual list detailing countries of concern when it comes to persecution against Christians, the organization Open Doors International highlighted outbreaks of violence against sub-Saharan African Christians, where 16.2 million were forced out of their homes at the end of 2022. The World Watch report, published at the beginning of every year, tracks discrimination and violence …

Reprinted from Pillarcatholic.com The regime of Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega freed the imprisoned Bishop Rolando José Álvarez of Matagalpa on Sunday, and expelled the prelate from the country. Álvarez arrived in Vatican City Jan. 14, directly after his release. The bishop had been sentenced to 26 years in prison, and has been a political prisoner in Nicaragua since August 2022, …

Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) calls for a congressional hearing after reiterating its extreme disappointment that the U.S. Department of State yet again failed to designate Nigeria and India as Countries of Particular Concern (CPC), despite both countries repeatedly meeting the legal standard. Despite this disappointment, USCIRF welcomed the State Department’s decision to include Azerbaijan …

In Plateau State Nigeria, Fulani militias attacked Christian villages on Christmas Eve, killing nearly 200 villagers. The International Committee on Nigeria (ICON) reports that Christmas 2023 was one of the bloodiest in Plateau State. These killings, being meted out by well-armed Fulani Islamic militants (aka: bandits), against rural Christian farmers remain a constant occurrence. There are 36 states in Nigeria and …