I N T R O D U C T I O N A N D OV E R V I E W particularly women, who did not conform to its strict interpretation To that end, USCIRF has provided qualitative and quantitative of Sunni Islam. Based on these developments, in the 2020 Annual information in its annual reports, publications, and other work highReport, USCIRF recommended Sudan for SWL placement rather than lighting problematic laws and policies of foreign countries that permit CPC designation. or condone violations of human rights of minority groups and other Sudan continued to make significant steps toward improved vulnerable communities on the basis of religion. Some of USCIRF’s key religious freedom conditions in 2020. In February, USCIRF traveled recent activities on this topic are discussed below. to Khartoum to assess religious freedom conditions in the country, In December 2020, USCIRF published a study on Violating and it was encouraged by the evident progress. In July, the transiRights: Enforcing the World's Blasphemy Laws and held a heartional government subsequently ing on Blasphemy Laws and the adopted the Fundamental Violation of International Religious Rights and Freedoms Act, which Freedom. Focusing on a five-year repealed the apostasy law, ended period from 2014 to 2018, the [S]tates must not coercively enforce flogging for blasphemy, banned report provides extensive data religious interpretations on individuals female genital mutilation, permitand examples demonstrating the or communities who do not ted non-Muslims to drink alcohol, many ways that, in the 84 counand abolished the guardianship tries that have blasphemy laws, adhere to those interpretations. law that required women to get enforcement of such laws undera permit from a male guardian mines human rights, including when traveling abroad with their freedom of religion or belief and children. USCIRF’s visit also afforded the Commission the opportunity freedom of expression. The Violating Rights study found that 81 to engage again with the transitional leadership in Khartoum, includpercent of the cases of state blasphemy law enforcement occurred ing Prime Minister Hamdok and his cabinet. in only 10 countries: Pakistan, Iran, Russia, India, Egypt, Indonesia, As a result of these substantial and positive changes, USCIRF Yemen, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. In seven of these ten is not recommending Sudan for SWL status this year. USCIRF states, the governments identify and enforce Islam as the official encourages Sudan’s transitional government to continue to make state religion, and in the other three, the governments favor certain institutional reforms to further protect religious freedom and to religions (Christianity for Russia, Hinduism for India, and six recognized ensure their effective implementation. These reforms should include faiths for Indonesia). establishing a religious freedom commission as mandated by the In November 2020, USCIRF issued a report on Saudi Arabia’s Juba Peace Agreement, addressing the claims of churches whose guardianship system, which severely limits women’s rights based on property the former regime destroyed or confiscated, and repealing the government’s interpretation of religion. In 2019, USCIRF published the blasphemy law. a report on Shari’ah Criminal Law in Northern Nigeria, addressing how the implementation of religion-based law can violate religious freeViolations of Human Rights on the Basis of Religion dom and related rights. USCIRF also published reports on apostasy, USCIRF’s mission is to advance international freedom of religion or blasphemy, and hate speech laws in Africa and on blasphemy cases belief (FoRB), by independently assessing and unflinchingly confrontin Indonesia and Pakistan in 2019. ing threats to this fundamental right. Within this conception, USCIRF Additionally, USCIRF has published a series of factsheets outlinis also committed to addressing human rights violations perpetrated ing how laws that seek to enforce religious norms, such as blasphemy based on the coercive enforcement of interpretations of religion and conversion laws, violate international human rights standards. and has done so since it was created by Congress in 1998. USCIRF Another recent factsheet, Limitations on the Freedom of Religion or fulfills this commitment through its reporting, advocacy, and policy Belief, examines permissible and impermissible limitations on religious recommendations to the president, secretary of state, and Congress. freedom under international law. A December 2020 factsheet looked Some foreign governments enforce laws and policies that permit at Brunei’s Syariah Penal Code, which enforces a strict interpretation of or condone violations of human rights of minority groups and other Shari’a on all resident Muslims, with no ability to opt out or freedom to vulnerable communities on the basis of religion. Under international interpret or practice Islam according to their own conscience. In March human rights law, however, religion is not a legitimate justification for 2021, USCIRF released a factsheet on The Use of Shari’a as Religious egregiously violating individuals’ fundamental rights. As explained by Justification for Capital Punishment Against LGBTI Persons, discussing the UN Human Rights Committee—the body of independent experts how such laws violate the human dignity and rights of lesbian, gay, charged with interpreting provisions of the ICCPR—the existence of a bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons and embolden state or majority religion cannot result in the impairment of the rights societal hostility, discrimination, and violence against them. of individuals under the ICCPR. International law requires states to USCIRF also raises awareness on these issues through its public respect FoRB and other human rights for everyone, equally. Thus, hearings, briefings, and other events, which seek to highlight the states must not coercively enforce religious interpretations on indiCommission’s research and recommendations and showcase diverse viduals or communities who do not adhere to those interpretations. panelists offering a variety of perspectives. In November 2020, for Individuals and religious communities enjoy the right to hold and example, USCIRF hosted an event with Nasreldin Mufrih, Sudan’s follow diverse views on religious precepts free from government Minister of Religious Affairs, where he discussed how the country’s interference. Governments are accountable to international human transitional government was addressing the previous regime’s viorights standards guaranteeing FoRB and other fundamental human lations of human rights based on religion. In December, a USCIRF rights to all. hearing focused on ways the U.S. government can protect and assist 4 USCIRF | ANNUAL REPORT 2021