USCIRF News Digest

        Source:             www.uscirf.gov
Date:                  May 26, 2020

USCIRF News Digest - May 26, 2020

Upcoming Events

 May 28 – Threats to Religious Freedom in the Western Hemisphere: A Closer Look at Cuba and Nicaragua with USCIRF (RSVP)
 June 3 – United Nations NGO Committee on FoRB Annual General Meeting, with a panel discussion featuring USCIRF Commissioners and Staff (RSVP)
 June 10 – USCIRF Hearing on Safeguarding Religious Freedom in Northeast Syria

USCIRF News

 USCIRF Welcomes Appointment by Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Nury Turkel to U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom

Download the 2020 USCIRF Annual Report: Key Findings and Recommendations

Top News from Around the World

 Burma
 Myanmar submits first report on Rohingya to UN's top court (Al Jazeera)

 China
 US House Speaker Appoints Uyghur Attorney Nury Turkel to Panel on Religious Freedom (RFA)
 China says boy picked by Dalai Lama now a college graduate  (Associated Press)
 US Asks For Meeting with Tibet’s Detained Panchen Lama (RFA)
 Exclusive: Documents show China's secret extradition request for Uighur in Turkey (Axios)
 Hikvision Chairman Targeted For Sanctions As Federal Watchdog Calls Out Hikvision "Serious Religious Freedom Violations" (IPVM)

 Central African Republic
 Rising CAR unrest threatens to reignite war (Al Jazeera)
 Central African bishop recalls attacks, says people have faced worse (Crux)
 Joint statement on the suspension of activities in Ndélé, Central African Republic (ReliefWeb)
 UN force arrests warlord in Central African Republic (Andalou Agency)

 Democratic Republic of Congo
 DR Congo Police Crackdown on Sect Killed 55 in 'Bloodbath' against ‘separatist religious sect’: Human Rights Watch (New York Times)

 Egypt
 In 16th batch of approvals, Cabinet approves legalisation of 70 unlicensed churches (Watani)

 Georgia
 Georgia: monasteries, churches to be allowed to buy 20 ha of forest – opposition claims election bribery of patriarchy (Jam News)

 India
 India activists held over citizenship law protest (BBC News)
 SC issues notice on fresh pleas against CAA, tags them with pending petitions (Outlook)
 UN official raises concerns over hate speech in India, cites Subramanian Swamy’s comments (The Print)

 Indonesia
 For world's largest Muslim country, a virus-disrupted and bittersweet Eid (Reuters)
 Indonesia: Shia Uprooted by Violence on Madura Island Long to Go Home (Benar)

 Iran
 Coronavirus: Iran reopens Shia Muslim shrines after two-month closure (BBC)
 Iran Arrests Three and Closes 147 Shops for “Not Following Sharia Law” (Iran Focus)
 Baha’i Citizens; Elaheh Samizadeh and Soodabeh Haghighat Sentenced to Combine Total of 12 Years in Prison (Iran Press Watch)

 Iraq
 Investigators build case for IS crimes against Yazidis (Associated Press)

 Montenegro
 Serbia-Montenegro tensions escalate amid church dispute (Associated Press)

 Niger
 Niger: 12 soldiers killed in Boko Haram attack on military base (Al Jazeera)

 Nigeria
 Boko Haram, ISWAP Move to Surrender, Drop Off 72 Families Members (This Day Live)
 Boko Haram attacks Nigerian village during Ramadan celebrations, killing 20 (Associated Press)
 Jihadists kill 7 soldiers in Nigeria attacks (News 24)
 UK regulator sanctions Nigerian Christian channel over 5G conspiracy theory claims (CNN)
 Rep says killings in southern Kaduna turning to genocide (The Guardian)

 Russia
 Yakut Shaman Who Wanted To Drive Putin From Power Files Complaint With ECHR  (RFE/RL)
 Russia's Muslims Celebrate the End of Ramadan in the Time of a Pandemic (Moscow Times)
 Collective prayer of Chechen theologians provokes indignation of social network users (Caucasian Knot)
 For This Russian Messianic Cult, Coronavirus Isolation Is a ‘Blessing’ (Moscow Times)
 Muslim Graves Desecrated in Occupied Crimea (Religious News Service of Ukraine)
 Cancellation of Eid al-Fitr mass celebration disappoints residents of Chechnya (Caucasian Knot)

 Saudi Arabia
 Saudi Arabia allows mosques to open for weekly Friday prayers (Arab News)

 Turkey
 Ankara unfolds Hagia Sophia card against COVID-19 crisis (Al-Monitor)
 Turkey launches investigation into social media accounts praised mosques blaring ‘Bella Ciao’ (Ahval)
 Turkish state religious body’s budget dwarfs seven key ministries (Ahval)

 Uzbekistan
 President of Uzbekistan signs decree to pardon 258 citizens (UzDaily)

 Other
 US Names Deputy Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism (Algemeiner)