USCIRF Spotlight Podcast

Individuals imprisoned for their religion or belief continue to face state repression even upon their release. For example, in Saudi Arabia, China, and Egypt, many released prisoners face bans on leaving the country, preventing them from visiting family, speaking freely about their experiences, or finding work or residency in other countries. Such bans often have little oversight, transparency, or opportunity for appeal. In Vietnam, individuals are pressured not to speak to media or post on soci

The Burmese military maintains its grip over Burma through arson, arbitrary detentions, airstrikes, killings, and other forms of intimidation and violence to instill fear in its people, including ethnoreligious minorities such as Rohingya and Chin. The lack of justice for the junta’s atrocities has deepened its resolve, yet Burmese people are seeking accountability through the legal principle of universal jurisdiction. On this episode of the USCIRF Spotlight podcast, Commissioner Stephen Schnec

Despite sanctions and repeated condemnation against the Burmese military, the ruling junta continues to unleash brutal attacks against its own people, including religious minorities such as Muslim-majority Rohingya and Christian-majority Chin, Kachin, and Karen communities. Several global efforts to hold the Burmese military accountable through a variety of international legal mechanisms are now underway. On this episode of the USCIRF Spotlight podcast, Commissioner Stephen Schneck speaks with

Alongside advocacy efforts, targeted programming is a tool certain governments and intergovernmental agencies use to strengthen religious freedom. There have been several key programs that have advanced international religious freedom in Asia, including the now terminated USAID’s Asia Religious and Ethnic Freedom (REF) program and the United Nation’s Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). On this episode of the USCIRF Spotlight podcast, Chair Vicky Hartzler speaks with Nolen De

In Central Asia, independent media plays an essential role in shedding light on freedom of religion of belief (FoRB) violations. As a result, Central Asian governments attempt to silence independent journalists and bloggers to conceal their FoRB abuses. Such intimidation campaigns often include harassment, the closure of independent outlets, baseless prison sentences, and more. However, Central Asian reporters in the diaspora and other foreign journalists have long filled in these reporting gaps

North Korea remains one of the most dangerous places in the world for individuals from all religious backgrounds, particularly for Christians. Organized religion in North Korea has reportedly been almost entirely eliminated. North Korean escapee testimony is the primary and the most important source of information on the Kim regime’s violations of freedom of religion or belief in North Korea, yet fewer North Koreans than ever have been able to escape North Korea since the COVID-19 pandemic. Mean