INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT – REPORTS AND INDICES
News:
India criticises USCIRF report, calls it misrepresentation of facts
What's in the news?
● India
on May 2 categorically rejected as "biased" and "motivated"
a report by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)
that alleged "severe violations" of religious freedom in the country.
Key takeaways:
● In
its annual report on religious freedom, the USCIRF asked the U.S. State
Department to designate India as a "country of particular concern" on
the status of religious freedom along with several other nations.
USCIRF:
● USCIRF
is an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission, dedicated to
defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.
● It
is an advisory body to the US Congress.
● USCIRF's
2022 Annual Report provides recommendations
to enhance the U.S. government's promotion of freedom of religion or belief
abroad.
● It
is Headquartered in Washington DC.
● Established
by the US government in 1998 after the inaction of the International Religious
Freedom Act, recommendations of USCIRF are non-binding on the state department.
● Traditionally,
India does not recognize the view of USCIRF.
Key Highlights of the Report:
The
Report's primary focus is on two groups of countries and one for non-state
actors.
1. Country of Particular Concern (CPC):
● It
is a designation by the US Secretary of State of a nation engaged in severe violations of religious freedom
under IRFA (International Religious Freedom Act of 1998).
● India,
Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria, Vietnam, North Korea, Myanmar, China, Eritrea, Iran, Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as CPCs.
2. Special Watch List:
● A
"Special Watch List" country is one that is deemed not to meet all the CPC criteria but engages in or tolerates
severe violations of religious freedom.
● Algeria,
Cuba, Nicaragua, Azerbaijan, CAR, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia,
Turkey and Uzbekistan.
3. EPCs (Non-state Actors):
● The
Report also includes USCIRF's recommendations of violent non-state actors for designation by the US State Department
as Entities of Particular Concern (EPCs), under International Review of
Financial Analysis (IRFA).
● Al-Shabaab,
Boko Haram, the Houthis, Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Islamic State in the
Greater Sahara (ISGS), Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP or
ISIS-West Africa), and Jamaat Nasr al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM).
Other Features:
● The
report also highlights important global developments and trends related to
religious freedom during 2021-including in countries that do not meet the
criteria for CPC or SWL recommendations.
● These
include the Covid-19 pandemic and religious freedom, blasphemy and hate speech
law enforcement, transnational repression, religious intolerance in Europe,
deteriorating religious freedom conditions in South Asia, and political
upheaval that raises religious freedom concerns.
Concerns raised about India:
● The
report highlighted that the government had "repressed
critical voices", especially minority communities and individuals
reporting on them.
● It
mentions the arrest of rights activist
Khuran Pervez in Kashmir, and the July 2021 death of octogenarian Father
Stan Swamy, arrested in October 2020 under the Unlawful Activities Prevention
Act 1967 (UAPA).
● The
report also touches on challenges faced by Non Governmental Organisations
(NGOs), especially about foreign funding.
● It
also highlights anti-conversion laws. In October 2021, Karnataka's government
ordered a survey of churches and priests in the state and authorized police to
conduct a door-to-door inspection to find Hindus who have converted to
Christianity.