USCIRF identifies world’s worst religious freedom violators: Egypt cited for first time

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) today released its 2011 Annual Report and recommended that the Secretary of State name the following nations “countries of particular concern” or CPCs:, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Burma, China, Vietnam, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

For the first time, USCIRF recommended that Egypt be designated a CPC.

“CPCs are nations whose conduct marks them as the world’s worst religious freedom violators and human rights abusers," said USCIRF Chair Leonard Leo. “In the case of Egypt, instances of severe religious freedom violations engaged in or tolerated by the government have increased dramatically since the release of last year’s report, with violence, including murder, escalating against Coptic Christians and other religious minorities. Since President Mubarak’s resignation from office in February, such violence continues unabated without the government’s bringing the perpetrators to justice.  Consequently, USCIRF recommends CPC designation for Egypt.”

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