The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released its annual report, identifying the world’s worst violators of religious liberty and urging the new Trump administration to appoint an ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
Published on March 25, the 2025 report largely mirrors the findings of the previous year, reflecting continued or worsening conditions in many nations.
“The administration of President Donald J. Trump faces a complex international environment in which to build on its previous success of centering religious freedom as a cornerstone of foreign policy and global leadership,” the report states. “Confirming this commitment to advancing freedom of religion or belief will require calibration and joint action with like-minded governments.”
Calls for Congressional Action
USCIRF’s eight commissioners have urged Congress to prohibit visits from representatives of governments deemed egregious violators of religious freedom.
“Lobbyists paid to represent the interests of governments that kill, torture, imprison, or otherwise persecute their populations because of what religion they practice or what beliefs they hold should not be welcome in the halls of Capitol Hill,” the commission stated.
The report also calls for a successor to Rashad Hussain, whose tenure as ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom ended with the Biden administration. Hussain was recently named a distinguished senior fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, a think tank promoting religious freedom.
USCIRF Chair Stephen Schneck emphasized the need for a high-level appointee. “I think what’s critical here is an ambassador who has access, not only to Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio, but has access to the White House directly,” Schneck told RNS in an interview. “It needs to be somebody, I think, of that level, given the big uptick in violations of freedom of religion or belief around the world that we’re seeing right now.”
Countries of Particular Concern
USCIRF, an independent bipartisan body reauthorized through September 2026, annually recommends countries for the State Department’s designation as “of particular concern” (CPCs) for committing “systematic, egregious, and ongoing” violations of religious freedom.
The 2025 report calls for the redesignation of 12 countries:
- Burma
- China
- Cuba
- Eritrea
- Iran
- Nicaragua
- North Korea
- Pakistan
- Russia
- Saudi Arabia
- Tajikistan
- Turkmenistan
Additionally, USCIRF recommends adding four more nations to the CPC list:
- Afghanistan
- India
- Nigeria
- Vietnam
Last year, USCIRF sought similar redesignations and also recommended Azerbaijan’s inclusion. This year, it urges Azerbaijan to remain on the State Department’s special watch list, alongside Algeria.
Further, USCIRF seeks to add several countries to the special watch list, including:
- Egypt
- Indonesia
- Iraq
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan
- Malaysia
- Sri Lanka
- Syria
- Turkey
- Uzbekistan
Rising Concerns Over Religious Liberty
Schneck, who was appointed by President Joe Biden, underscored the lack of progress in improving religious freedom worldwide.
“It’s become much worse in several places, including Iran, Nicaragua, and, frankly, Russia,” he said, attributing the trend to authoritarian regimes and religious nationalism in countries such as Myanmar, India, and Turkey. “We’re not seeing progress. In fact, in most of the countries on this list, we’re seeing regress.”
For the second consecutive year, USCIRF also called for appointing a special envoy for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region, where religious violence has escalated.
Concerns Over Policy Shifts Under Trump
Schneck expressed disappointment that the State Department had not issued its latest designations of religious freedom violators before the Biden administration ended or since Trump returned to office.
While the report acknowledges the Biden administration’s funding of hundreds of millions of dollars in humanitarian aid through USAID—supporting persecuted religious groups like Muslim Rohingya refugees and Syrians—Schneck pointed to a halt in funding under the new administration.
“As I understand, all of the freezes are still in place that affect those USAID programs,” Schneck said. “We’re very hopeful that the new administration will act quickly to resolve some of these situations so that some really needed programs to protect religious freedom on the ground in different parts of the world can be funded appropriately.”
Schneck also raised concerns about refugee protections, warning that recent policy changes could jeopardize asylum seekers fleeing religious persecution.
“We are concerned about anything that makes it more difficult for refugees to flee from religious persecution to find safe haven,” he said.
Push for Legislative Action
USCIRF’s report calls for permanent reauthorization of the commission itself and continued support for the bipartisan Lautenberg Amendment, which facilitates resettlement of religious minorities from Iran and former Soviet states.
Resilience Amid Persecution
The report highlights individuals who have maintained their religious beliefs despite facing discrimination, antisemitism, Islamophobia, and other hostilities.
“One of the most heartening things that we see around the world is the resilience of people to stand up for their faith or their lack of faith, for that matter, their principles,” Schneck said. He praised young Iranians and churchgoers in authoritarian nations but stressed that the broader global situation remains troubling.
“The larger picture doesn’t change,” he said. “We are concerned about what looks like a decaying picture for freedom of religion.”