CV NEWS FEED // Four senators introduced a resolution on February 29 that calls for the United States to hold all governments that violate religious freedom accountable for their actions.
Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), James Lankford (R-OK), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) introduced the bipartisan resolution in the U.S. Senate.
In the resolution, the senators stated that they are “recognizing religious freedom as a fundamental right, expressing support for international religious freedom as a cornerstone of United States foreign policy, and expressing concern over increased threats to and attacks on religious freedom around the world.”
The senators also called for the U.S. to “leverage all diplomatic and sanctions tools available to the United States Government to hold religious freedom violators accountable for their actions.”
Non-profit law firm Alliance Defending Freedom International (ADF), which is representing several victims of religious persecution across the globe, said that it is “proud” to support the resolution.
“No one should be punished or prosecuted for their faith, but in too many countries worldwide, sharing one’s faith can lead to violence and imprisonment,” Kristen Waggoner, President and CEO of ADF, stated in a press release. “The United States has always been a beacon for our first freedom, and the promotion of international religious freedom is one of the key spots of bipartisan agreement.”
“We need the U.S. to continue to stand on a bipartisan basis for those defending the right to religious freedom around the world, and to hold accountable those countries and actors who commit the worst violations of religious freedom abroad,” she continued.
ADF reported that the resolution specifically mentions Nigeria, India, and Nicaragua, among other countries, as having unjustly violated the religious freedom of their citizens.
In Nigeria, Christians have suffered numerous attacks from jihadist Muslims. According to reports, over 8,000 Christians were killed in 2023.
Christians in India have been subjected to “laws promoting religiously discriminatory policies,” which include laws that make it difficult to convert and ban evangelization. The laws have also targeted Muslims and other Indian religions.
The resolution added that in Pakistan, “religious minorities face killings, lynchings, mob violence, forced conversions, and sexual violence for their religious identities.”
In Nicaragua, the Church has faced increased persecution under the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship. The persecution has led to the forced exile of hundreds of Catholics, religious, and clergy, the imprisonment of numerous bishops and priests, and the desecration of several shrines and churches.
“We are grateful to the members of the U.S. Congress who are using their influence to stand up for the religious freedom rights of all people across the globe,” stated Sean Nelson, Legal Counsel for Global Religious Freedom for ADF International.
He continued:
The International Religious Freedom Resolution is a critical step forward in holding countries accountable for violating individuals’ and communities’ God-given right to worship and live out their faith freely.
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