A religious freedom watchdog organization has released a report detailing serious religious liberty violations in more than twenty countries. In its third annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom said that state-sponsored or state-tolerated repression continues in many countries including Iran, Indonesia, Egypt, Burma, and China.

Reacting to the newly released report, Joe Grieboski, president of the Institute on Religion and Public Policy, called for non-governmental organizations and government representatives to make religious freedom a priority. 

“While some foreign countries like China … may be offended by the report, it’s necessary for non-governmental organizations and government representatives to continue to press for religious freedom in many countries around the world,” said Grieboski at a May 15 meeting organized by the Institute.

Over the past three years, the Commission has recommended that more than 10 countries be designated by the United States government as particularly severe violators, or Countries of Particular Concern (CPCs). These countries include the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Laos, and Turkmenistan.

Also in attendance at the Institute’s meeting was John Graz, secretary general of the International Religious Liberty Association and director of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s public affairs and religious liberty department. He gave a brief report on the status of religious freedom in Turkmenistan, Indonesia, Vietnam and Egypt.  Making reference to the Annual Report, Graz said that “the long term credit of the Annual Report will be its influence on U.S. foreign policy and the role it will play in relations with countries like China, Turkmenistan, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.”

Graz, who was also a panel speaker, called the report a “significant tool to improve religious freedom for all.” 

Created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, provides independent recommendations to the United States government. The Institute on Religion and Public Policy, founded as a think tank and advocacy organization, seeks to shape the public participation in policy of the American faith community, and works very closely with other non-governmental organizations.