U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said crimes against religious freedom still occur daily around the world and those nations may face sanctions.
The United States applies sanctions to countries known to have committed these human rights violations, he said in a Dec. 2 news release. Blinken announced designations against Burma, the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, the DPRK, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
“Around the world, governments and non-state actors harass, threaten, jail and kill individuals because of their beliefs,” Blinken said in a post on Twitter. “Today’s designations keep with our values and interests to protect national security and advance human rights around the globe.”
He announced the sanctions against the nations which have committed crimes against religious freedom and have been identified as countries of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, according to the release. Algeria, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam have been placed on the special watch list for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
The International Religious Freedom Act signed by President Bill Clinton in 1998 – H.R.2431 – allows U.S. policy regarding religious freedom, aids in developing the fundamental right to religious liberty and declares it to be U.S. policy to condemn violations of religious freedom publicly.
Blinken said the U.S. will continue to monitor freedom of religion or belief in every nation around the globe. In addition to the monitoring, the U.S. will advocate for people who face religious persecution or discrimination, according to the release. He said the U.S. finds countries upholding human rights are more reliable partners and are peaceful, stable and prosperous.
Additionally, the president can take actions under the sanctions that create financial hardship for blacklisted countries, the release reported.
The Department of State Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations published the 2022 report to Congress July 15. The report highlights countries of concern, strategies to prevent and respond to atrocities and examples of efforts coordinated by the Atrocity Prevention Task Force.
