The United States has Pakistan on its list of “countries of concern.”
On the list of countries with the least amount of religious freedom are Iran, China, and Russia.
WASHINGTON: \sThe United States on Friday named Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, China, Iran, Russia and many others, as nations of particular concern under the Religious Freedom Act over egregious violations, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement on Friday.
Blinken stated that those countries designated as countries of particular concern, which also include North Korea, Myanmar, Cuba, Eritrea, Nicaragua, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom. Other countries on this list include North Korea, Myanmar, Cuba, and Eritrea.
Several groups, including the Kremlin-aligned Wagner Group, a private paramilitary organisation that is operating in Syria, Africa and Ukraine, were also listed as entities of particular concern. According to Blinken, the Wagner organisation was blacklisted due to the activities it carried out in the Central African Republic.
Algeria, the Central African Republic, the Comoros, and Vietnam were all added to the list of countries to keep an eye on. According to what Blinken said in the statement, “all around the world, governments and non-state entities harass, threaten, imprison, and even kill individuals on account of their beliefs.” The United States of America will not remain silent in the face of such injustices.
Blinken added that Washington would welcome the opportunity to meet with all nations to detail concrete processes for removal from the lists. The US Religious Freedom Act of 1998 offers Blinken a number of policy actions, including sanctions or waivers, but they are not automatic.
The United States Religious Freedom Act mandates that the President of the United States, who delegates this responsibility to the Secretary of State, must designate as “countries of particular concern” any states that are believed to engage in “systematic and ongoing violations” of religious freedom.
