USCIRF Spotlight Podcast
107 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 months ago - ★★★★★ - 13 ratingsWelcome to a new weekly podcast series called “USCIRF Spotlight” hosted by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal advisory body. During each episode, Director of Outreach and Policy Dwight Bashir features a special guest to dive deeper on various topics and breaking developments that impact the universal right to freedom of religion or belief around the globe.
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Episodes
Global Blasphemy Laws
December 07, 2020 15:45 - 18 minutes - 25.1 MBThere are 84 countries across the globe with criminal blasphemy laws on the books as of 2020. While only a handful of countries enforce these laws, there are still 84 countries in which a person could face criminal charges for insulting or offending religious doctrines in regions that include Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and others. There are a plethora of ways that governments’ enforcement of blasphemy laws undermines human rights, including freedom of religion or belief and free...
Vulnerable Religious Communities in Pakistan
November 20, 2020 15:48 - 13 minutes - 18.3 MBThe State Department has designated Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern since 2018, but it has not taken any action as a consequence of that designation and has continued to violate freedom of religious belief. USCIRF recently issued a press release concerning the uptick in blasphemy cases against Shia Muslims which in some cases led to mob violence. There have also been a number of targeted killings of Ahmadi’s in Pakistan over the past four months. Why are religious minorities part...
UN Human Rights Systems that Promote Religious Freedom
November 17, 2020 15:53 - 17 minutes - 24.1 MBThe United Nations system has several structures and entities that were created to address human rights concerns globally, many of which are relevant to universal right to freedom of religion or belief. Although some of these bodies have limitations, they provide opportunities for advocacy by and collaboration among governments and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working to promote and protect freedom of religion or belief internationally. In this episode of USCIRF Spotlight, we discu...
Sudan: Will removal from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list impact Religious Freedom?
October 30, 2020 19:14 - 18 minutes - 24.8 MBSudan has been in the news most recently with the announcement by the United States government of its intent to remove Sudan from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. In this week's USCIRF Spotlight, we explore how this move could impact religious freedom conditions in the country. Featuring:Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRFMohy Omer, Policy Analyst and East Africa Specialist, USCIRF
Religious Persecution in Iran
October 23, 2020 19:07 - 17 minutes - 24.7 MBWhat started as an already concerning situation for religious minorities in Iran has grown even more concerning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out what the situation looks like for the groups affected by Iran’s imposition of a singular religious interpretation, and what the US can do to help advance religious freedom in Iran in this week's episode of USCIRF Spotlight. Featuring:Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRFScott Weiner, Supervisory Policy Analyst, USCIRF
Fulani Communities
October 16, 2020 18:59 - 15 minutes - 21.4 MBWelcome to USCIRF's new series! In USCIRF Spotlight, we discuss major topics in the news and explore how they impact religious freedom around the globe. For this week's episode, listen to what our research team has to say about Fulani communities in West and Central Africa. Featuring:Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRFMadeline Vellturo, Policy Analyst, USCIRF
How Current Unrest Impacts Religious Freedom in Belarus
October 09, 2020 18:40 - 14 minutes - 20 MBWelcome to USCIRF's new series! In USCIRF Spotlight, we discuss major topics in the news and explore how they impact religious freedom around the globe. For this week's episode, listen to what our research team has to say about the situation in Belarus. Featuring: Dwight Bashir, Director of Outreach and Policy, USCIRF Dr. Jason Morton, Senior Policy Analyst, USCIRF