Washington: The United States on Friday designated Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia among other countries as countries of special concern for serious violations under the Religious Freedom Act, US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken said.
Blanken said in a statement that those designated as countries of particular concern — including North Korea and Myanmar — have engaged in or tolerated serious violations of religious freedom.
Algeria, Central African Republic, Comoros and Vietnam were placed on the watch list.
Several groups were also designated as entities of particular concern, including the Kremlin-linked Wagner Group, a private paramilitary organization active in Syria, Africa and Ukraine. Blanken said the Wagner Group was named for its activities in the Central African Republic.
“Around the world, governments and non-state actors harass, threaten, imprison and even kill people because of their beliefs,” Blanken said in the statement.
“America will not tolerate these abuses.”
He added that Washington would welcome the opportunity to meet with all governments to outline concrete steps for delisting.
Washington has stepped up pressure on Iran over its brutal crackdown on protesters. Women waved and burned headscarves — required under Iran’s conservative dress code — during the protests, one of the biggest challenges to the Islamic republic since its 1979 revolution.
The United Nations says more than 300 people have been killed and 14,000 arrested in protests since the September 16 killing of Mehsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman in custody.
The United States has expressed serious concerns about human rights in China’s western region of Xinjiang, where one million Uyghurs live.
Human rights organizations and Western governments have long accused Beijing of abuses against the predominantly Muslim ethnic minority.
The US has accused China of genocide. Beijing strongly denies any abuses.
Other countries of particular concern were Cuba, Eritrea, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The American Religious Freedom Act of 1998 requires the president – ​​who delegates the task to the secretary of state – to designate countries of particular concern that violate religious freedom on a systematic and ongoing basis.
The act gives Blinken a number of policy responses, including restrictions or exemptions, but they are not automatic.
