The United States promotes religious liberty abroad in three related ways: it exposes, counters, and prevents, explained Ambassador-at-Large Rashad Hussain in recent Congressional testimony:
“First, we seek to shape a foreign policy that protects U.S. interests and security by engaging civil society and faith communities and addressing laws and policies that impact religious freedom around the world.”
The Office of International Religious Freedom at the State Department often works on individual cases of repression with great success, noted Ambassador Hussain:
“We welcomed the release of Shmuel Khachanov, an ailing Jehovah's Witness wrongfully imprisoned in Tajikistan. We have been deeply involved in working to address the Ortega Murillo's regime's increasing repression of Christians and churches in Nicaragua. On February 9th, when the United States welcomed 222 individuals who had been imprisoned by the government of Nicaragua for exercising their human rights and endured lengthy, unjust detentions.”
The annual International Religious Freedom Report casts a light on persecution around the world. “These are globally recognized as a gold standard on reporting on religious freedom,” said Ambassador Hussain. “If anyone in the world ever wonders whether the religious persecution of any group in any part of the world escapes our attention, the reports are our answer. The country by country reports go in a very go through the religious freedom conditions in every country in the world in a very detailed manner.”
And finally, the Office of International Religious Freedom provides information and expertise on the status of international religious freedom to the Secretary of State as he determines which countries meet the threshold to be designated as countries of particular concern.
The United States remains uniquely dedicated to religious freedom as it “was founded by individuals fleeing religious persecution themselves,” noted Ambassador Hussain:
“Our founders felt so strongly about this fundamental right that they enshrined it in the First Amendment, in our Constitutions Bill of Rights. And we are a country of immigrants.”
“In many ways, we are representatives of the rest of the world gathered right here in the United States,” declared Ambassador Hussain. “We are motivated by the unshakable commitment to the idea that saving even one person or even improving one life is well worth our effort.”
