U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR
July-December, 2010 International Religious Freedom Report
September 13, 2011
Introduction
"The United States stands with those who advocate for free religious expression and works to protect the rights of all people to follow their conscience, free from persecution and discrimination."
— President Barack Obama, January 14, 2011
"Religious freedom provides a cornerstone for every healthy society. It empowers faith-based service. It fosters tolerance and respect among different communities. And it allows nations that uphold it to become more stable, secure, and prosperous."
— Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton, October 26, 2009
"At home, we vigorously protect the civil rights of Americans, regardless of their religious beliefs. Across the globe, we also seek to uphold this human right and to foster tolerance and peace with those whose beliefs differ from our own. We bear witness to those who are persecuted or attacked because of their faith."
— President Barack Obama, January 14, 2011
We publish this report in tumultuous times that underscore the importance of freedom of religion to peaceful political and economic development, democratic institutions, and flourishing societies. Religious freedom is the right of all human beings, a fundamental tenet of the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and protected under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Guaranteeing religious freedom requires governments to enact and enforce strong laws and promote respect for religious diversity.
Nonetheless, as this report demonstrates, many governments continue to repress religious freedom and persecute persons on the basis of their religion. Such repression marginalizes vulnerable populations, emboldens extremists, fuels sectarian tensions, and robs societies of the moral and charitable contributions of faith communities. Repression of religious freedom runs contrary to shared universal values and undermines genuine stability.
President Obama has emphasized the U.S. commitment to defend religious freedom in the United States and around the world. It is an essential element of our global commitment to advance human rights and promote national security.
Today’s Annual Report on International Religious Freedom bears witness to those who are persecuted because of their faith and shines a light on governments and societies that promote or tolerate such abuses.
This report covers the six months between July 1 and December 31, 2010, as the Department of State changes the reporting cycle for our human rights reports so that all will be issued in the same calendar year.