The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) published its latest report on Wednesday, spotlighting the countries with the most severe religious persecution globally.
This annual report serves as a guide for the State Department to advocate for religious freedom, often leading to sanctions against countries that violate these rights, with the aim of pressuring them to enhance their religious tolerance.
The report identifies Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Burma, China, Cuba, Eritrea, India, Iran, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam as the worst offenders this year. USCIRF recommends that these nations be labeled as “countries of particular concern” (CPCs), a designation considered the U.S.’s “most powerful tool” for promoting religious freedom.
Afghanistan
Under Taliban rule, religious freedom in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly. The report indicates that the Taliban enforces a strict apostasy law prohibiting conversions from Islam and has imposed numerous restrictions on women’s dress, movement, education, and employment. Despite these concerns, Afghanistan is not currently a CPC, although the Taliban is classified as an “entity of particular concern” (EPC).
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, a predominantly Muslim country, appears on USCIRF’s CPC list for the first time this year due to increasing violations of religious rights affecting both Azerbaijani Muslims and ethnic minorities, particularly Armenian Christians. The report states that Azerbaijani citizens are “routinely” harassed, fined, and imprisoned for their religious activities. In 2023, 183 “peaceful believers” were unjustly imprisoned. Following Azerbaijan’s violent takeover of Nagorno-Karabakh and the resulting mass exodus of Armenian Christians, several historic Christian sites were damaged. Concerns also remain about further threats to ancient religious sites, and Armenian Apostolic priests were evicted from the Dadivank Monastery.
China
China remains a regular feature on USCIRF’s CPC list due to its continued “sinicization” program, which enforces the Chinese Communist Party’s ideology on all citizens and religions. The Chinese government strictly controls all religious activities and punishes unauthorized religious practices severely. In 2023, Chinese authorities “forcibly disappeared” and convicted underground Catholic priests, including two bishops. The government continues its persecution of Muslim Uyghurs through forced labor and indoctrination camps, and thousands of Falun Gong practitioners are also imprisoned.
India
India, the world’s second-most populous country, is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu Nationalist government, under which religious freedom has worsened. Despite constitutional protections, many regions enforce anti-conversion laws. In 2023, thousands of Christians and Muslims faced attacks and intimidation, and hundreds of churches and mosques were destroyed.
Iran
In Iran, religious freedom remains “extremely poor.” In 2023, the government systematically harassed, arrested, raped, tortured, and executed protesters against mandatory hijab laws and other religious restrictions. Religious minorities, including Sunni Muslims, faced severe punishments, sometimes execution, for violating strict Islamic laws.
Nicaragua
In Nicaragua, dictators Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo intensified their persecution of the Catholic Church and other religious groups in 2023. The government seized assets and properties of Catholic institutions and imprisoned and exiled hundreds of Catholics and political dissidents. Bishop Rolando Alvarez, a vocal critic of the regime, was sentenced to 26 years in prison and spent all of 2023 with little to no contact with the outside world before being exiled to the Vatican.
Nigeria
Nigeria saw over 8,000 Christians killed in 2023, with attacks peaking during Christmas weekend, resulting in 190 deaths in Plateau state. Nigerian Christians, who constitute 46% of the population, suffered widespread violence, kidnappings, and intimidation largely ignored by the government. Despite recommendations from USCIRF, Nigeria has not been designated a CPC by the State Department since 2021.
Pakistan
Pakistan experienced a significant increase in terrorist attacks against religious minorities and places of worship in 2023. The government further strengthened prohibitions against “blasphemy,” often used to target religious minorities. In August, a mob attacked a Christian community in Jaranwala over a blasphemy accusation, resulting in the destruction of homes and damage to at least 24 churches.
Other Concerning Trends
Transnational Persecution: USCIRF reported an increase in transnational repression by governments like China and India, which targeted religious minorities abroad. Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan were also noted for such activities.
Blasphemy Laws: Blasphemy laws, active in 96 countries, pose a significant challenge to global religious freedom by punishing actions deemed offensive to the prevailing religion or ideology. These laws often incite violence against religious minorities.
Europe:The report mentioned concerning trends in Europe, citing the arrest of U.K. citizen Isabel Vaughan-Spruce for silently praying outside an abortion clinic in Birmingham, and Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen facing human rights violation charges for expressing her religious views on sexuality and marriage.
The USCIRF report underscores the persistent and worsening state of religious persecution worldwide, urging the U.S. to use its influence to advocate for greater religious tolerance and freedom through diplomatic and economic pressure.
ISRO Chairman S Somanath expressed his gratitude for the global recognition, underscoring the award’s significance in reflecting India’s ascent as a major player in space exploration. He stated, “The Leif Erikson Lunar Prize not only acknowledges ISRO’s achievements but also highlights the international community’s recognition of India’s capabilities in space exploration.”
In a surprising turn of events, Taiwanese politician Lai Ching-te, long criticized by China’s Communist Party as a potential catalyst for conflict due to his support for full independence for Taiwan, secured victory in the presidential election. Despite Beijing’s warnings and months of tension, Mr. Lai, currently Taiwan’s vice president, garnered 40 percent of the votes, securing a third consecutive term for his Democratic Progressive Party (D.P.P.), marking a historic achievement since Taiwan began direct democratic elections in 1996.
“I voted for Lai Ching-te because I think he can handle the relationship with China wisely,” expressed Hsu Ya-hsuan, a 28-year-old technology company product manager in Taipei. Many share her sentiment, hopeful that Lai will navigate the delicate balance between protecting Taiwan’s sovereignty and avoiding deliberate provocations against China.
Contrary to the reckless firebrand image projected by Beijing, those who know Lai affirm that he campaigned on continuity with the policies of the outgoing president, Tsai Ing-wen. Lai’s commitment to building Taiwan’s military defenses, strengthening relations with democratic allies, and avoiding a complete rupture with China echoes Tsai’s approach. However, the intensifying pressure from China and the potential for military action create a testing ground for Lai’s political and diplomatic skills.
Kuo Yu-jen, a political science professor, warns that even if Lai adheres to Tsai’s policies, China’s President Xi Jinping is unlikely to alter the trajectory of solving the “Taiwan problem” at an accelerated pace. The pressure on Lai’s government is anticipated to surpass that experienced during Tsai’s eight years in office.
In addition to external challenges, Lai must grapple with a divided domestic political landscape. His chief rivals garnered significant shares of the vote, posing a potential threat to his authority. Ko Wen-je of the Taiwan People’s Party, in particular, tapped into public dissatisfaction with rising housing costs, limited career prospects, and slow income growth, especially among young supporters. With his party losing its majority in the Legislative Yuan, Lai recognizes the need for collaboration with opposition parties to address Taiwan’s challenges. Acknowledging the people’s desire for a capable government and effective checks and balances, Lai pledges to respect this new public sentiment.
In the UN’s “medium” scenario for future population growth – its middle-of-the-road estimate – the global population is expected to reach 9.7 billion in 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100. Growth is expected to be concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, where an estimated 29% of all the world’s births happened last year. The 2021 total fertility rate in sub-Saharan Africa, 4.6 births per woman, is double the global average of 2.3 births per woman and triple the average in Europe and Northern America (1.5) and in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (also 1.5).
The Gutenberg era represented by this phenomenon lasted six centuries. Communication, which is a more recent phenomenon and which until now has only been possible with the Internet, is different. Communication is horizontal: I am a receiver, but I can also be a sender. There, power has much more power. 
The Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act or CAATSA is a tough US law that authorises Washington to impose sanctions on countries that purchase major defence hardware from Russia in response to the latter’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and its alleged meddling in the 2016 US presidential elections.
Rishi Sunak, UK’s former Chancellor of the Exchequer, or Finance Minister, whose sudden resignation set in motion the circumstances that forced an intransigent Johnson to finally bow out, has emerged the main contender at the end of two rounds of voting by the 358 Conservative MPs.
Biden and his team had for weeks disputed that he was meeting with the Saudi crown prince, instead arguing Crown Prince Mohammed would merely be present at meetings with other leaders.
Biden emerged from his meetings in Saudi Arabia without an immediate deliverable on oil production, but he expressed optimism that oil-producing nations would take steps to boost the global supply in the coming months. 
Also Monday, a group of nine Cabinet ministers announced they will quit immediately to make way for an all-party government, outgoing Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapakshe said. Wickremesinghe’s office said meanwhile that another group that met the prime minister decided to stay on until a new government is formed.
The son-in-law of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, Sunak has faced criticism for not giving enough cost-of-living support to households, his wealthy wife’s non-domiciled tax status and a fine he received, along with Johnson, for breaking Covid-19 lockdown rules. His tax-and-spend budget last year put Britain on course for its biggest tax burden since the 1950s, undermining his claims to favor lower taxes.
He returned to office in 2012, vowing to revitalize the nation and get its economy out of its deflationary doldrums with his “Abenomics” formula, which combines fiscal stimulus, monetary easing and structural reforms. He won six national elections and built a rock-solid grip on power.
Soldiers were deployed around the city but troops simply watched from afar as crowds of people splashed in the pool of Rajapaksa’s sprawling residence, lounged on beds and took selfies of themselves on their cellphones to capture the moment. The chief of defense staff, Shavendra Silva, called for public support to maintain law and order.
Johnson’s resignation came after Britain’s finance and health ministers resigned in quick succession on July 5, in moves that put the future of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in peril after a series of scandals that have damaged his administration.
This article is adapted from The Paradox of Democracy: Free Speech, Open Media, and Perilous Persuasion by Zac Gershberg and Sean Illing (University of Chicago Press, 320 pp., $30, June 2022).
But the right to say anything opened the door to all manners of subversion, and this has been a challenge to every democracy that has ever existed. The emergence of isegoria in Athens, for instance, was accompanied by the joint rituals of ostracism and tribalism. In today’s language, you might say that Socrates was the first notable citizen to be “canceled” by the same democratic forces that made his speech free in the first place. This is the defining tension of any democratic society.