The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom on March 20 releases its 2012 Annual Report, with recommendations to the President, Secretary Clinton and Congress on Countries of Particular Concern (CPC) for systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom.
Of concern are countries whose governments engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom during the preceding 12 months. In addition to the eight countries currently so designated by the Department of State (Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Uzbekistan), the 2012 report is expected to recommend designating nine more (Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam).
As Secretary Clinton said, “The trappings of democracy are not enough. We need a vibrant free press, clean and transparent elections, an independent judiciary, a healthy political opposition, and protection for women, religious, and ethnic minorities. We must protect democratic rights and freedoms wherever they are endangered.”
It is our hope that the Religious Freedom Report will continue to contribute to a world one day where all peoples enjoy the religious freedoms that Americans and Estonians enjoy.
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