Source: www.uscirf.gov
Date: October 1, 2025
Washington, DC – The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released the following report on refugees fleeing religious persecution:
The Responsibility of Host Countries to Protect Refugees Fleeing Religious Persecution - Examples from South and Southeast Asia – As the refugee population increases, including those fleeing religious persecution, more than two-thirds remain in neighboring countries. Cases in South and Southeast Asia, such as Uyghurs in Thailand, Afghans in Pakistan, and the Rohingya in Bangladesh, illustrate the mounting tensions surrounding these vulnerable displaced populations. Despite some states not being signatories to the main international legal instruments protecting refugees, these countries still have obligations to the refugee populations within their borders. Addressing their basic needs can reduce grievances and mitigate the risk of radicalization, which in turn promotes security. This factsheet details states’ legal obligations to protect refugees and provides examples of the conditions and treatment of such refugees across South and Southeast Asia.
In its 2025 Annual Report, USCIRF includes recommendations to the U.S. government to improve religious freedom conditions which can help address the root causes that drive migration. USCIRF’s Annual Report also includes broader recommendations for the U.S. government related to refugee policy. USCIRF’s previous efforts focusing on this issue have included a factsheet on Refugees Fleeing Religious Persecution and a hearing on Refugees Fleeing Religious Persecution.
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The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency 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