In a press statement issued by Secretary of State, Antony J. Blinken, the United States has designated several countries and entities for their engagement in or tolerance of severe violations of religious freedom.
The designations include Burma, China, Cuba, North Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern.
Additionally, Algeria, Azerbaijan, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam have been designated as Special Watch List countries for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
Entities of Particular Concern include al-Shabab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS-Sahel, ISIS-West Africa, al-Qa’ida affiliate Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal-Muslimin, and the Taliban.
Secretary Blinken emphasized that religious freedom violations are significant in countries not specifically designated, urging governments to address issues like attacks on religious minority communities, communal violence, lengthy imprisonment for peaceful expression, transnational repression, and calls to violence against religious communities.
Acknowledging the structural and systemic nature of the challenges to religious freedom globally, Secretary Blinken expressed the need for sustained commitment to combat hatred, intolerance, and persecution, envisioning a world where all people live with dignity and equality.
