Press Release
August 15, 2017, Washington, D.C. (Religious Freedom Institute) — The Religious Freedom Institute welcomes the State Department’s 19th Annual Report on International Religious Freedom and applauds Secretary Tillerson and the Office of International Religious Freedom responsible for producing it.
President of the Religious Freedom Institute Thomas Farr stated: “The Secretary correctly observed that growing religious persecution not only poses a grave moral problem, but also implicates the national security of the United States. Advancing religious freedom can enhance stability and undermine the violent religious extremism that threatens us all. For these reasons, U.S. religious freedom policy should be part of a coherent, all-of-government national security strategy. The Senate should quickly confirm Governor Sam Brownback as the new Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. We need someone of his stature and experience to develop and implement the religious freedom elements of such a strategy.”
The Annual Report, required by the International Religious Freedom Act that President Bill Clinton signed into law, is sobering and disturbing. It catalogs the growing crisis of religious persecution that is causing immense human suffering.
The report emphasizes that governments violently repress religious groups through blasphemy and apostasy laws, destruction and seizure of property, or imprisonment of religious leaders. The worst offenders include North Korea, Russia, Cuba, Iraq, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. Religious freedom should be central to our relations with these countries, and even with allies such as Turkey, where an American pastor, Andrew Brunson, remains in prison.
Increasingly the most violent persecution has come from terrorist groups. The most visible threat has been the proliferation of ISIS and affiliated groups across the Middle East – and increasingly into Southeast Asia, Africa, and even into Europe and North America.
“I am encouraged to see Secretary Tillerson reemphasize that ISIS is responsible for genocide against Yazidis, Christians, and Shia Muslims and that the Trump administration seeks to assist and protect them,” said Kent Hill, Executive Director of the Religious Freedom Institute.
“The U.S. must ensure that humanitarian assistance is in fact reaching these genocide survivors. Beyond that, we must help them rebuild their homelands and create the religious and ethnic pluralism that can forestall the return of violent religious extremism,” said Hill.
Media Contact:
Jeremy P. Barker
media@religiousfreedominstitute.org
202-838-7734
www.religiousfreedominstitute.org
The Religious Freedom Institute (RFI) works to secure religious freedom for everyone, everywhere. The RFI is a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, D.C.
Media Contact: Jeremy P. Barker
media@religiousfreedominstitute.org
202-838-7734
www.religiousfreedominstitute.org
THE RFI BLOG
![Featured image for “Myths of Religious Nationalism in America and Abroad”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Rumi-Forum-Article_PMarshall.png)
Myths of Religious Nationalism in America and Abroad
![Featured image for “France’s Olympic Hijab Ban Violates International Law And Exacerbates Tensions”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/hijab-scaled.jpg)
France’s Olympic Hijab Ban Violates International Law And Exacerbates Tensions
![Featured image for “RFI Briefs USCIRF on Lessons from 25 Years of U.S. Designating Religious Freedom Violators”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/USCIRF-CPC-SWL-Map.png)
RFI Briefs USCIRF on Lessons from 25 Years of U.S. Designating Religious Freedom Violators
![Featured image for “Thought Police: Protecting the People from Prayer”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screen-Shot-2024-07-24-at-5.52.51-PM.png)
Thought Police: Protecting the People from Prayer
![Featured image for “A Religious “Delaware”: Establishing a State Haven for Religious Corporations”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Screen-Shot-2024-07-19-at-5.01.49-PM.png)
A Religious “Delaware”: Establishing a State Haven for Religious Corporations
CORNERSTONE FORUM
![Featured image for “Challenges to Religious Freedom in Iraq and the Critical Need for Action”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/IMG_3666.jpg)
Challenges to Religious Freedom in Iraq and the Critical Need for Action
![Featured image for “Public Bioethics & the Failure of Expressive Individualism”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/headshot.jpg)
Public Bioethics & the Failure of Expressive Individualism
![Featured image for “Religious Liberty in American Higher Education”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/031623-Jennifer-Lichter-002-e1682974563353.png)
Religious Liberty in American Higher Education
![Featured image for “Scotland’s Kate Forbes and the March of Secularism”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Jerry-Li-Pic01.jpg)
Scotland’s Kate Forbes and the March of Secularism
![Featured image for “70 Years of Religious Freedom in Sweden: Prospects and Challenges”](https://religiousfreedominstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Jacob-380-e1447190060158.jpg)