Washington, DC – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released the following new report:
Recommendations for State Department CPC and SWL Designations Factsheet – With the U.S. Department of State’s designations expected this month, this factsheet reiterates USCIRF’s recommendations to the State Department regarding countries that should be designated as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) or placed on its Special Watchlist (SWL) based on religious freedom conditions in 2020.
For the 2020 reporting period, USCIRF recommended four countries for CPC status that the State Department did not previously designate and 10 countries for the SWL that the State Department did not have on that list. The additional countries USCIRF recommends for CPC designation include India, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam. The additional countries USCIRF recommends for the SWL include Afghanistan, Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Turkey, and Uzbekistan.
The factsheet explains the types of violations set forth in the International Religious Freedom Act that, if perpetrated or tolerated by a foreign government, should result in the State Department designating it as a CPC or placing it on the SWL. It also presents analysis on the 14 countries recommended by USCIRF, including a summary of the religious freedom violations in 2020 and major developments so far in 2021 that reflect the overall conditions justifying the designation.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the U.S. Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion and belief. To interview a Commissioner, please contact USCIRF at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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