Cuba is on a “special watch list” of governments violating religious freedom

On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced the countries designated under the International Religious Freedom Act, and Cuba is on a “special watch list.”

In a statement, Blinken said that each year it is her responsibility to determine which governments and non-state actors, because of their violations of religious freedom, deserve designation under international religious freedom law.

The foreign minister announced that he had designated Burma, the People’s Republic of China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as countries of particular interest because they had engaged in a “systematic, persistent and horrific.” Freedom. “

Blinken stated that Cuba, Nicaragua, Algeria and the Comoros are on a “special watch list of governments that have engaged in or condoned serious violations of religious freedom.”

It added that it classifies Al-Shabab, Boko Haram, Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS, the Greater Sahara, ISIS, West Africa, Nasr al-Islam, Muslims and the Taliban as private entities. Worry.

Secretary of State Blinken said the United States will not abandon its commitment to support freedom of religion or belief for all and in all countries.

“In many places in the world, we continue to see governments harassing, arresting, threatening, arresting and killing people simply for trying to live their lives according to their beliefs. This administration is committed to upholding everyone’s right to freedom of religion or belief, including by confronting and fighting violators of that right,” he said. of human rights.

He concluded by emphasizing that the United States will continue to pressure all governments to address shortcomings in their laws and practices, and to promote accountability for those responsible for violations.

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“The United States remains committed to working with governments, civil society organizations, and members of religious communities to advance religious freedom around the world and to address the plight of individuals and communities who face abuse, harassment, and discrimination because of what they believe in,” Blinken said.

In the Annual Report on Religious Freedom in the World 2020, published in May 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted in relation to Cuba that the Cuban Communist Party, through the Office of Religious Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, seeks “continuous control over most aspects of religious life”.

The report cited information from the global NGO Christian Solidarity, which asserts that the Cuban government “routinely and systematically violates freedom of religion and belief.”

La Ley de Libertad Religiosa Internacional de 1998 dispone la preparación anual de dicho informe, en el que se precisa el estado de la libertad religiosa en casi 200 países y territorios extranjeros y se describen las acciones adoptadas por los estados Uniadest en apoyolibert en everybody.

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