U.S. Releases Religious Report, Urges Governments and Civil Society To Collaborate

Top U.S. diplomat Antony Blinken vowed on Thursday the United States “will continue to stand up for religious freedom around the world” as the State Department released a more than 2,000-page report on the state of religious tolerance in countries around the world, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"At its core, our work is about ensuring that all people have the freedom to pursue the spiritual tradition that most adds meaning to their time on Earth," Blinken said in his speech. "It’s about giving people the chance to express themselves freely, which is part of being their fullest selves"

The “2021 Report on International Religious Freedom” is an annual document delivered to the U.S. Congress and covers the state of religious liberty in about 200 nations around the world. Country-by-country sections are available online at https://www.state.gov/reports/2021-report-on-international-religious-freedom/.

In Azerbaijan, the U.S. report highlights that President Ilham Aliyev last June signed into law 14 amendments to the religious freedom law. Among other provisions, the new amendments forbid forcing children to practice religion, prohibit the promotion of religious extremism, disallow religious leaders from engaging in religious activities when employed by the state, provide government-approved religious centers the sole right to grant religious titles, and require religious communities to suspend their activities in the absence of a government-approved religious leader.

"The government justified the amendments by the need for security.  Civil society organizations said the changes provided the State Committee for Work with Religious Associations, the government body that regulates religious affairs, with more control over religious groups."

The U.S. Ambassador and other embassy officers engaged Azeri government officials to advocate for the release of individuals that civil society groups stated were imprisoned for their religious beliefs. They also urged government officials to address longstanding problems involving the registration process for smaller religious communities and to implement a civilian alternative to military service for conscientious objectors, as stipulated in the constitution, according to the report.

Speaking to reporters at the State Department briefing room, Rashad Hussein, U.S. Ambassador for International Religious Freedom, said that the global report "clearly shows that governments and civil society must collaborate to address deteriorating conditions around the world."

"During the past year, we have seen increased repression by authoritarian governments and the politicized use of blasphemy, apostasy, and conversion laws, including against Christian communities. We’re also witnessing rising societal violence against communities around the world. We’re seeing increasing anti-Semitism and anti-Muslim attacks from Europe to South Asia" he said.

Yet there is also reason for optimism, according to Amb. Hussein: "We are seeing the progress that is possible when civil society, a coalition of activists, and multilateral bodies work with governments, and in many cases when they push and when they challenge governments to live up to their obligations."

Asked by TURAN's correspondent whether Washington had enough tools - other than quiet diplomacy - at its disposal to help the situation to be improved in countries such as Azerbaijan, Turkey and Russia, Ambassador Hussain said "there’s a number of toolkits. We try to apply them in the most appropriate way in each situation to make progress on these issues."

Washington will continue to raise individual cases of individuals that are being held in prison and being persecuted because of their religious beliefs, Ambassador Hussain said.

"We oppose policies and laws that are on the books, such as apostasy laws and blasphemy laws that are used often to restrict religious freedom," he added.

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.