[Joint House and Senate Hearing, 115 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EURASIA: ARE
GOVERNMENTS KEEPING THEIR COMMITMENTS?
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
DECEMBER 11, 2018
__________
Printed for the use of the
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
[CSCE 115-2-7]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via www.csce.gov
_________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
34-828 PDF WASHINGTON : 2019
COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS
HOUSE
SENATE
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi,
Co-Chairman Chairman
ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland
ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
MICHAEL C. BURGESS, Texas CORY GARDNER, Colorado
STEVE COHEN, Tennessee MARCO RUBIO, Florida
RICHARD HUDSON, North Carolina JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois THOM TILLIS, North Carolina
SHEILA JACKSON LEE, Texas TOM UDALL, New Mexico
GWEN MOORE, Wisconsin SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island
EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS
Vacant, Department of State
Vacant, Department of Commerce
Vacant, Department of Defense
[ii]
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EURASIA:
ARE GOVERNMENTS KEEPING
THEIR COMMITMENTS?
----------
December 11, 2018
COMMISSIONERS
Page
Hon. Roger F. Wicker, Chairman, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.......................................... 1
Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Ranking Member, Commission on Security
and Cooperation in Europe...................................... 4
Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairman, Commission on Security
and Cooperation in Europe...................................... 6
Hon. Cory Gardner, Commissioner, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.......................................... 8
WITNESS
Sam Brownback, Ambassador at Large for International
Religious Freedom.............................................. 8
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN EURASIA:
ARE GOVERNMENTS KEEPING
THEIR COMMITMENTS?
----------
December 11, 2018
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Washington, DC
The hearing was held at 10:47 a.m. in Room 106, Dirksen
Senate Office Building, Washington, DC, Hon. Roger F. Wicker,
Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe,
presiding.
Commissioners present: Hon. Roger F. Wicker, Chairman,
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Benjamin
L. Cardin, Ranking Member, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Co-Chairman,
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; and Hon. Cory
Gardner, Commissioner, Commission on Security and Cooperation
in Europe.
Witness present: Sam Brownback, Ambassador at Large for
International Religious Freedom.
HON. ROGER F. WICKER, CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Wicker. This hearing of the Helsinki Commission will
come to order. Good morning, and welcome to the hearing on
``Religious Freedom in Eurasia: Are Governments Keeping Their
Commitments?''
The commitments on human rights and fundamental freedoms of
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the
OSCE, are the strongest of any multinational security
organization in the world. All 57 OSCE participating States
have made these commitments, including the commitments on
religious freedom. In the words of the 1975 Helsinki Final Act,
quote, ``The participating States will recognize and respect
the freedom of the individual to profess and practice, alone or
in community with others, religion or belief acting in
accordance with the dictates of his own conscience.'' Despite
this and other OSCE commitments, some of the worst violators of
religious freedom in the world are, regrettably, participating
OSCE States.
The International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, authored
by my friend, former Congressman Frank Wolf, requires the
president to issue annually an International Religious Freedom
Report and designate the worst violators as Countries of
Particular Concern--CPCs--a country so designated when its
government has engaged in or tolerated particularly severe
violations of religious freedom, defined as systematic, ongoing
egregious violations such as killing, torture, prolonged
detention without charges, abduction, or clandestine detention.
Central Asia has the highest concentration of CPCs of any
region in the world. Since 2016, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and
Uzbekistan have been designated as CPCs. But perhaps there's
good news. Under the leadership of President Shavkat
Mirziyoyev, Uzbekistan is the only one of these CPCs moving
toward compliance with its international obligations. His
government has been taking significant steps to make the
necessary reforms. That's why we're here today.
That's why when Secretary Pompeo announced in May that he
would host the first Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom,
I publicly urged him to consider inviting Uzbekistan. And
indeed, this invitation was issued. Soon thereafter I
introduced the bipartisan Senate Resolution 539 urging the
president to strengthen efforts of the United States to combat
religious freedom violations in Eurasia and providing a
blueprint for some key action. The resolution acknowledges the
reforms in Uzbekistan and calls on the United States to
prioritize supporting ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly passed the Berlin
Declaration in early July with amendments I authored, that
recognized the government of Uzbekistan's ongoing reforms and
encouraged the government to align national policies with
Uzbekistan's OSCE and other international commitments. Later
that month, I met with the Uzbekistan delegation to the
Ministerial to Advance Religious Freedom. The delegation was
led by Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov and included Senator
Sodyk Safoyev, who is a former ambassador to the United States,
and Akmal Saidov, Member of Parliament and head of the National
Human Rights Centre. We discussed how the United States can
work with Uzbekistan on reforms, security, and economic
prosperity.
Uzbekistan is already a strong partner of the United
States. I'm pleased to say we have a special relationship
between the Mississippi National Guard and Uzbekistan through
the National Guard Partnership Program. We work closely
together to support Afghanistan, fight terrorism, and combat
narcotics. My good friend and colleague Representative Trent
Kelly, who represents the First Congressional District of
Mississippi--and is a brigadier general in the Guard--has seen
firsthand the value of the joint military exercises between our
forces. I share his view.
I will now say what I've already said publicly: Uzbekistan
can be an even stronger partner of the United States--and that
is our goal--more economically prosperous and a model in the
region and beyond. For this to be so, it must follow through
with reforms and fully comply with its international
commitments on human rights and freedoms. There is still a lot
to do before the law, regulation, and government personnel are
in full compliance with these commitments, including formally
consulting with international experts, consistently holding
perpetrators accountable for violations, and releasing
religious prisoners who were arrested despite exercising their
religion peacefully.
The president of Uzbekistan and the Parliament have
committed to reform and to keep Uzbekistan's international
commitments. The Congress will continue to work closely with
the executive branch and the government to achieve these
objectives.
Our witness today traveled to Uzbekistan in September and
has a long history with Central Asia. But there are more
reasons why he's ideal to discuss these and other OSCE issues
today. Sam Brownback, my friend of 25 years, is Ambassador at
Large for International Religious Freedom. This is his first
congressional hearing since being confirmed. I'm especially
pleased to welcome him as a former House colleague, a former
Senate colleague, and a former Helsinki Commission member. His
qualifications are numerous. I will place them in the record
and welcome Ambassador Brownback.
Mr. Ambassador, thank you for your unflagging efforts to
get Pastor Brunson freed from imprisonment in Turkey on
baseless charges of terrorism and espionage, including
traveling to Turkey to attend the trial. Thank you, sir, for
that. The full-court press, from you, President Trump, Vice
President Pence, Secretary Pompeo, and Members of Congress--
both Republican and Democrat--made the difference. His release
was the answer to many prayers. I repeat my call for the
administration to maintain Global Magnitsky sanctions on
Turkish officials complicit in the continued unjust detention
of American citizens and consulate employees. NATO has no space
for hostage-taking.
I'm grateful to you, Mr. Ambassador, for the annual OSCE
Human Dimension Implementation meeting in Warsaw, Poland.
Having someone of your seniority and stature in the chair was a
strong signal of the importance of religious freedom in this
administration. I'm also heartened that while in Poland you
joined the Helsinki Commission-initiated visit by the U.S.
delegation to the memorial at the Auschwitz-Birkenau death
camp--a place where Senator Cardin and I have also visited--and
laid a wreath and lit a candle on behalf of the American
people.
As a final introductory remark, let me note with sadness
the passing this weekend of Russian human rights advocate
Ludmila Alexeyeva, one of the founders of the Moscow Helsinki
Group in 1976. Already an experienced human rights activist
going back to the 1960s, she was exiled from the Soviet Union
after the Moscow Group formed. She found a home in the United
States, where she continued to struggle for human rights in her
country. She was a strong supporter of this Helsinki
Commission, and helped us enormously in our work. She returned
to Moscow in 1993 and remained an advocate of human rights in
Russia until the end, including those rights which are the
focus of this hearing. Ludmila will be deeply missed. We hope
that her life has inspired new generations of activists in
Russia and elsewhere--activists that will seek to hold
governments accountable for violations of the Helsinki Final
Act and other OSCE commitments.
We are joined today by two very distinguished human rights
advocates. I will turn to them for whatever introductory
remarks they would like to make. Senator Ben Cardin, my
colleague from Maryland.
HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, RANKING MEMBER, COMMISSION ON SECURITY
AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Cardin. Mr. Chairman, first, thank you very much for
holding this hearing.
I just want to make one observation, if I might. This will
be the last hearing of the Helsinki Commission in this
Congress. We have been led by Senator Wicker, who's done a
great job as our chairman during extremely difficult
international times. Under the Helsinki statute, the
chairmanship will now go back to the House of Representatives
in the 116th Congress. I just want to congratulate Senator
Wicker for the work that you did during these 2 years leading
the commission very actively, attending international meetings,
raising human rights issues around the OSCE region--including
here in the United States--and being just a great leader of the
commission.
It's been an honor to be your ranking member on the Senate
side. I know the co-chair, Congressman Smith, who's had a long
tenure--the longest tenure on the Helsinki Commission--
participated in a very active way to make sure we had a very
successful year. It's really a pleasure to serve on this
commission, when you don't know who the Democrats and
Republicans are when it comes to the commitment of the Helsinki
Final Act. So it is wonderful that Senator Wicker continued in
that tradition.
We don't always find the senators as active as House
members at times. That was certainly not true when Senator
Brownback was on the commission, because he was a very active
member of this commission. He got his training, we think, in
the Helsinki Commission. He has shown really good judgment by
making his first congressional hearing in the Senate before the
Helsinki Commission. So we applaud you on that good judgment.
We do apologize--I thought Senator Wicker had more clout with
the leadership and we wouldn't be interrupted by votes, but
that's not going to be the case because there's a vote
scheduled at 11 today.
I also join the chairman in expressing our condolence on
Ludmila. She was a pioneer in standing up for human rights
under the Soviet Union when, as you know, the risk factors were
so high for anyone to speak out against the government or to
speak out in favor of human rights. She was there from the
beginning of the Helsinki process and, of course, was very much
engaged in the human rights Moscow Helsinki Group. She came
here for safety. She returned to Russia after the fall of the
Soviet Union and has continuously been a beacon of hope for
those who stand up for the principles of the Helsinki Final
Act.
One of those principles is the right to practice your
religion. Let me just quote, if I might, from the Helsinki
Final Act. ``Recognize and respect the freedom of the
individual to profess and practice, alone or in community with
others, religion or belief, acting in accordance with the
dictates of his own conscience.'' That's one of the basic
principles. We're very proud that we have put a major focus on
that, including with our Ambassador Brownback, to fight for
religious protections around the world. In the OSCE, we see it
under attack in Europe and in the United States.
We all know the recent attacks on religious practice here
in the United States, the horrific event that took place in
Pittsburgh, where 11 people were killed solely because they
were in the house of prayer of their religion. We also know
that shortly before that, an African American church was
targeted in Kentucky. So we have problems here. I can tell you
we need to understand that hateful and racist rhetoric has
consequences. We have to speak out in leadership against any
hate here in America and anywhere around the world.
I know my colleagues experience the same as I have. I've
traveled throughout the whole OSCE region. I always try to
visit a synagogue when I'm in one of the countries. I've seen
over time the amount of security on my visits to a synagogue
have always increased. That's a reality of the target areas for
people to express their anger and hate. We now see that's true
also in the United States. I am amazed at the amount of
security that I see at houses of prayer here in the United
States. That's the new reality. I'm not criticizing the amount
of protection, because we want people to be safe, but I do
think it points out that the U.S. has always been at the
forefront on the Helsinki principles, particularly religious
freedom. We need to not only fight for that globally, but we
have to recognize that we have challenges here at home and we
have to take care of our own issues as well.
I am proud to be the special representative of the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly for anti-Semitism, racism, and
intolerance. In that capacity, I've tried to set as priorities
the protection of people and all religions. We're very
concerned about the attacks on Muslims, on Christians, and on
Jews. We fight in all of those areas. I've introduced
legislation here that I hope one day will be passed to end
racial and religious profiling by law enforcement. It's one of
the priorities of the OSCE special representative that the
discriminatory policing, which is true in Europe, but also true
here in the United States, and also true in my home city of
Baltimore, as we saw in a pattern and practice investigation by
the Department of Justice.
Mr. Chairman, let me just point out we are seeing an
increasing intolerance abroad under the guise of national
security. Countries throughout the OSCE have laws that would
severely impact the practice of religious communities. Rising
intolerance against Muslim communities is evident by efforts to
adopt laws restricting the religious practice of Muslims, from
the banning of a mosque in Sweden to recent bans on Muslim
women attire in Austria and in Denmark. Close to 15 countries
exercise prohibitions on Muslim religious ritual slaughter of
animals. Many Muslim communities still face excessive
regulations or other barriers attempting to build mosques.
Earlier this summer, political leaders in Austria called for
Jews and Muslims to pre-register to consume kosher/halal food,
uncomfortably echoing the use of lists to track Jews during the
Holocaust.
Jews and Christian communities are also implicated in the
so-called fight against radical Islam. During this year's
French elections, one candidate pledged to ban all religious
clothing--including Christian crosses, Jewish kippahs,
reasoning that Jews and Christians would have to make this
sacrifice to fight for the advance of political Islam. These
efforts increasingly pit religious and other vulnerable
communities against one another at a time when communities
should be working toward addressing hate.
Mr. Chairman, I'm very pleased we have Ambassador Brownback
here. I think what we need to do at this commission, which has
been the hallmark of America's commitment to fighting
intolerance and hate, that we have a strategy to show that
America truly is in the leadership to say that hate has no
place in any community, and we protect all minority communities
in their ability to practice their religion, how we show that
leadership here in America and throughout the OSCE, and
throughout the globe.
HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, CO-CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON SECURITY
AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Smith. Thank you, Senator Cardin.
I too want to add my welcome and complete gratitude to
Ambassador Brownback. Thank you for your decades of leadership
for religious freedom. Your hard work and achievement on this
issue as a Congressman, Senator, including as chairman of this
commission, and then as Governor, made you the most eminently
qualified person to be our Ambassador at Large for
International Religious Freedom. Indeed, the nation--and I
would argue the world--is very fortunate to have you in this
critically important and very strategic position. So thank you
for that service.
I'd like to just briefly raise a few countries of concern
that I am particularly focused on first and you are as well.
Russia--pursuant to the Frank Wolf International Religious
Freedom Act, the State Department is announcing today that
Russia will be placed on the Special Watch List, which we newly
created, a designation for governments that engage in or
tolerate severe violations of religious freedom. The violations
of religious freedom in Russia are real, thoroughly documented,
and at times brutal. The Russian Government deserves this. Next
year we should consider carefully whether it belongs on the
list of Countries of Particular Concern, or CPC list, for the
worst of the worst.
Second, Central Asia. For the past several years the U.S.
Government has designated Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and
Tajikistan as Countries of Particular Concern. These
governments are guilty of particularly severe violations of
religious freedom, as the statute has it, and the State
Department is announcing that Turkmenistan and Tajikistan
remain on the CPC list, and Uzbekistan will be moved to a
slightly less-reprehensible watch list, the Special Watch List.
I'm sure you will discuss that today and give us some insights
about how those decisions were arrived at.
The government of all three used sweeping counterterrorism
authorities to target broad categories of individuals engaging
in unsanctioned religious practice. Uzbekistan holds thousands
of individuals in custody for such infractions. Meanwhile,
Turkmenistan continues its heinous practice of holding untold
scores of prisoners incommunicado, in abject conditions, and
trials in secret courts. This kind of mirrors exactly what the
Chinese are doing against the Muslim Uyghurs, although that is
on an absolute massive scale. Marco Rubio and I co-chair the
China Commission. We had another hearing just a week ago on
this brutality that's being used under the guise of
antiterrorism to crack down on people that they find
objectionable--in that case, Muslims in that part of the world.
Third, Turkey. Just 2 months ago Turkey released American
Pastor Andrew Brunson. I want to thank you for being at his
trial--you and Senator Tillis. I think that sent a clear
message of U.S. resolve and concern. We know that he was
detained for more than 2 years on bogus terrorism charges.
Turkey's mistreatment of this innocent man and his family was
absolutely unconscionable. In its 2018 annual report, the
United States Commission on International Religious Freedom
(USCRF) found that Pastor Brunson's prolonged and unjustified
detention, quote, ``had a chilling effect on Christians living
in the country.''
Indeed, Pastor Brunson's plight appears to be not only the
most publicized incident making a disturbing increase in
government targeting of protestant ministers. Citing Turkey's
Association of Protestant Churches, USCRF reports that at least
100 pastors have been forced to leave Turkey due to government
refusals to renew visas or other permits. Sadly, the brutal
repression of the Orthodox Christians is ongoing, particularly
in Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus, where its 44-year
occupation of Northern Cyprus has left a legacy of destruction,
gutting ancient religious life, and despoiling priceless
cultural property. According to the government of Cyprus, the
estimates are 500 Greek Orthodox churches and chapels have been
pillaged, vandalized, or demolished, 133 churches, chapels, or
monasteries have been desecrated, the whereabouts of 15,000
paintings are unknown, 77 churches have been turned into
mosques, 28 are being used by the Turkish military forces as
hospitals or camps, and 13 are used as agricultural barns.
The Turkish Government also continued to meddle in the
internal affairs of major Christian and Jewish authorities. The
government wields effective veto power over leadership
elections within these institutions by requiring that electors
and candidates hold Turkish citizenship--something the state
alone can confer. This unjustifiable requirement directly
violates the internationally recognized right of the ecumenical
patriarch of Constantinople, the Armenian patriarch of
Constantinople, and the chief rabbinate of Turkey to conduct
their own affairs, free from unwelcome external interference.
Astonishingly, in the Haliki seminary, the only theological
school for the training of priests for the ecumenical patriarch
of Constantinople, remains closed 47 years after it was first
shuttered by the state. This situation endures despite numerous
public commitments from Turkish officials over the years
guaranteeing the seminary's reopening.
Taken together, this litany of long-standing and flagrant
religious freedom violations strikes me as abundant
justification for the administration to designate Turkey as a
Country of Particular Concern, or at a minimum as a Special
Watch List country.
I do look forward to your testimony. I would like to yield
to my good friend and colleague, Mr. Gardner.
HON. CORY GARDNER, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Gardner. Thank you, Mr. Ambassador. Thank you for your
service and the heavy work ahead that you have and continue to
do.
Obviously, matters of religious freedom have taken a more
and more prominent role in the work that we do each and every
day in Congress--rightfully so. Just last week I chaired a
hearing in my Asia Subcommittee, where we were talking about
religious freedom in China, where we talked about Tibet, and we
talked about Chinese authorities' determinations to impose
their own Dalai Lama, and whether or not countries around the
world would recognize that fiat from the Chinese Government.
Recent reports there have talked about registrations and
pastors going missing, and what happens to people who speak
out, whether or not they're establishing a religion of
President Xi in churches.
This is an important issue in Europe. It's an important
issue in the United States. It's an important issue in Asia.
It's important, as you know, around the globe. So I'm grateful
for your service and the challenges that we have. I hope today
in your discussion that you'll also talk about other leaders
around the globe that we can help turn to, other nations that
are providing leadership, and hope for us to partner with as we
look out for people's ability to worship freely. This is a
human right, and it's something this Congress will always stand
up for.
Thank you, Ambassador.
Mr. Smith. Thank you so much.
I'd like to now formally introduce Senator--Senator, that
too--Ambassador Sam Brownback, who was sworn in as Ambassador
at Large for International Religious Freedom on February 1st,
2018. He served as Governor of Kansas from 2011 to 2018.
Previously he served as a U.S. Senator from 1996 to 2011 and a
Member of Congress from 1995 to 1996. While a Member of the
Senate, he worked actively on the issue of religious freedom in
multiple countries and was a key sponsor of the International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998. He also served as Kansas
secretary of agriculture from 1986 to 1993 and was a White
House fellow in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
from 1990 to 1991.
Prior to his public service, Ambassador Brownback was a
private attorney in Kansas and taught agricultural law at
Kansas State University, co-authoring two books on the subject.
He earned his B.S. from Kansas State University and his J.D.
from the University of Kansas. Again, we welcome with great
gratitude Ambassador Brownback.
SAM BROWNBACK, AMBASSADOR AT LARGE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS
FREEDOM
Amb. Brownback. Thank you very much, Mr. Co-Chairman, and
Senator Gardner. Good to see you all. I know you've got to go
vote, and I've been on that train. I'm glad when the bell rings
I don't jump anymore. So best to you, and thank you guys, both,
for your heart and your long service. And Chairman Wicker as
well.
Human rights are just critical, but they need advocates.
They need people like yourselves to really push. It makes a
huge difference. No other country in the world pushes it like
we do. I mean, the Europeans do, and other places do. But it's
the United States and the muscle of the United States that
makes the difference, and particularly in this space of
religious freedom.
We're the ones that push it. The first-ever ministerial on
religious freedom was conducted by the United States, by the
Trump administration, this past July. Nobody's ever done that
before. We had 84 countries at it. It was fabulously
successful. We had hundreds of civil society religious freedom
advocates that were there. We're going to do it again this next
year. The secretary has already announced that we're going to
get a much bigger room, so we can get more advocates added.
This is really taking off.
We've got now six countries we're working with, to your
question, Senator Gardner, to do regional religious freedom
summits in various places. They'll soon be announced and on
specific topics. I hope some of you may consider going to some
of these, and possibly speaking at them, if they're in areas
and places that you feel like it would be of something of
interest. Countries are stepping up. They're expressing
themselves. This was one of those areas that we've just got to
push the global community to do something, because virtually
everyone has signed the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights, which
declares support for religious freedom.
And yet, 80 percent of the world lives in a religiously
restrictive atmosphere, much of it trending badly. So while
everybody's for it, very few practice it. Then we constantly
hear about deaths and buildings being burned and people being
taken hostage all over the world, on a regular basis. It's the
United States' advocacy that really keeps people alive.
I want to thank a number of members of this commission and
others for the help with Andrew Brunson. I want to singularly
thank President Trump for getting Andrew Brunson out. His
putting of tariffs on Turkey, a NATO ally, that's never been
done before, was really, I think, the factor that pushed the
Turkish Government to release Andrew Brunson, and thankfully
so.
I want to join with the chairman on expressing my
condolences as well to family and friends of people that were
impacted by Ludmila Alexeyeva, incredible defender of human
rights that died in Russia at age 91. I didn't personally know
her, but everybody that I know that did work with her said she
was an absolutely amazing lady, and the things that she did and
got accomplished were incredible.
Before I begin my prepared testimony, I want to put forth
some news. Here earlier today the secretary publicly announced
his designation of Countries of Particular Concern under the
International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, and the follow-on
Frank Wolf Act. These are countries that have engaged in or
tolerated systemic, ongoing, and egregious violations of
religious freedom. These include, this year, Burma, China,
Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia,
Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. Those are the countries that the
secretary has announced as Countries of Particular Concern.
He also placed Comoros, Russia, and Uzbekistan on a Special
Watch List for governments that have engaged in or tolerate
severe violations of religious freedom. It's worth noting that
for the first time since 2006, Uzbekistan is not a Country of
Particular Concern and Pakistan has been added as a Country of
Particular Concern. Finally, the secretary designated Al-Nusra
Front, al-Qaida, al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, Al-Shabaab,
Boko Haram, the Houthis, ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban
as Entities of Particular Concern according to the designation
allowed under the Frank Wolf Act. These designations are a tool
and key part of our efforts to advance religious freedom.
I want to thank you for your dedication and commitment to
this process. We're grateful for your partnership in defending
and promoting religious freedom around the world. I look
forward to discussing these designations. I might note that
these are all things that were put forth by the Congress.
Congress has been particularly interested in religious freedom
and has really propelled this area. So I'm thankful for it.
This is an ongoing review. So while there may be people on this
list or not on this list, we continually review this. Pakistan,
as you may recall, was added as a Special Watch List in the
middle of last year by the former secretary.
I value the work of the Helsinki Commission and its
members. When I reflect on my time in the Senate, I'm humbled
by the human rights work. Those are things you look back on as
a Senator and Congressman. You do lots of different things, but
the human rights work, you're touching people. Thank you for
doing it. It's an honor to be back with you.
Religious freedom is a beautiful right. It flows from the
inherent dignity of each human being. No state, in our
estimation, can rightly take it away. This is a God-given
right. And no state has that right then to interfere with it.
It is also an obligation under international law that people
and governments protect religious freedom. This administration
is serious about pushing that. Today, as I noted, nearly 80
percent of the world lives in countries with significant
restrictions on religious freedom. This is totally
unacceptable--totally unacceptable. That's why this
administration established religious freedom as a top foreign
policy priority. And we're acting on it.
I mentioned the first ministerial that we put forth to
nature and push for religious freedom, but also trying to
expand the reason for countries to pursue religious freedom. In
the past we've mostly stated this is a right--this is a key
right and you're entitled to it. Now we note to countries, if
you want less terrorism and more economic growth, you need more
religious freedom. It's a key part of growth and a key part of
less terrorism. So we're noting the positive benefits of this.
Since being sworn in in February this year, I've traveled
to a number of countries to press for religious freedom
reforms. Because of the priority this administration has placed
on religious freedom, I've had the opportunity to meet and work
with a number of heads of state, including the leaders of
Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Nepal, and Hungary, as well as dozens of
foreign ministers. My first visit was to Turkey to, as you
noted, Andrew Brunson's hearings, who was wrongfully imprisoned
for over 2 years. Thanks to the work of the president, the vice
president, as well as Members of Congress, he's free and at
home.
But we are engaged in other areas of the OSCE region as
well. In September, I traveled to Ukraine where I met with
religious leaders, parliamentarians, and President Poroshenko.
I expressed the United States' belief that members of religious
groups--including the Ukrainian Orthodox Church--should have
the freedom to govern their religion according to their
beliefs, free of outside pressure and malign influence. I then
traveled to Poland, where I made an intervention at the OSCE
Human Dimension Implementation meeting, reinforcing the United
States' commitment to religious freedom and to combating the
scourge of anti-Semitism. As you noted, we traveled to
Auschwitz as well, an absolutely unforgettable place and trip.
At the Human Dimension Implementation meeting, the U.S.
delegation also spoke about what we are seeing in Russia, and
particularly, overly broad anti-extremism laws that are misused
to target for prosecution peaceful members of religious
minorities and unduly restrict peaceful religious expression,
belief, and worship. Russia has continued to do that with a
number of different groups, thus their being placed on the
Special Watch List.
Central Asia, another area of focus. In September I visited
Uzbekistan, where I met with President Mirziyoyev and discussed
the economic and security benefits that come from an increased
recognition and protection of religious freedom. Uzbekistan's
new leadership is truly committed to making changes. They've
made changes in a number of areas, including religious freedom
areas.
With respect to Kazakhstan, at the ministerial in July I
engaged the foreign ministers and urged full protection for
religious freedom in Kazakhstan, and other senior U.S.
officials have continued to press that as well.
Regarding Turkmenistan, my office takes part in an annual
bilateral consultation with their government, to urge the
government to ease registration requirements for religious
organizations, and lift restrictions on religious literature,
and decriminalize conscientious objectors to military service.
One last trip I'll mention. Right before Thanksgiving I
visited Hungary. I thanked the government for their engagement
on humanitarian aid to religious groups in Iraq. They have been
one of the pioneers to help re-establish some of the religious
minorities in northern Iraq, particularly the Christians and
the Yazidis. I also met with religious leaders and civil
society groups, who are key to establishing and sustaining an
environment that is conducive to religious freedom. I met with
Jewish leaders and visited a synagogue as well--the synagogue
was in Ukraine.
Our world is filled with challenges to religious freedom.
But I have faith that, in time, our dedicated work in
partnership with civil society groups, religious leaders, and
visionary parliamentarians and legislators like you, here and
around the world, will open the gates to religious freedom for
all. Indeed, I am heartened to see all the people committed to
religious freedom that work here in this town. I would invite
either of you gentlemen to attend the religious freedom
roundtable that we do every Tuesday when I'm here with the
religious freedom activists, from 11 to noon, normally on the
Hill. They would love to hear from you. We regularly are
getting over 100 people attending that, and activists that want
to pursue these topics. There's a dedicated group that's here.
They're moving forward. I think really now is a key season for
us to push this right around the world. I look forward to the
discussion and your questions.
Mr. Wicker. Thank you very much, Ambassador Brownback. We
appreciate your testimony and we appreciate your efforts.
Let's just talk about the movement represented by
designation of the Special Watch List today. Specifically, the
inclusion of Uzbekistan represents a positive step, is that not
correct, Mr. Ambassador?
Amb. Brownback. That is correct.
Mr. Wicker. If you will outline--although your testimony
has touched on this--the positive steps that make us optimistic
about Uzbekistan. Then if you would talk about two other
particular countries--and I know they're all of interest--but
in particular what is happening in a negative way in Pakistan?
And what has happened over the last reporting period in Russia
that brought about the change in their status?
Amb. Brownback. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
The Uzbeks have decided they're going to move promptly
forward on human rights. They've changed in a number of
categories. I had a 2-hour meeting with the president where we
discussed what all they needed to do. We had the U.N. special
rapporteur on religious freedom go out to Uzbekistan, do a
special report, what changes they need to make. We just told
the Uzbeks, basically, implement the report and we'll move
forward with you.
To date already what they've done is they've released over
1,000 religious prisoners. They've delisted thousands of
individuals from blacklists, many of who previously accused on
engaging in religious extremism. They registered 14 religious
organizations, including the first Christian church in nearly a
decade. They're allowing the majority-Muslim population to
practice more freely, including allowing children to be able to
go to mosque for the first time. They didn't previously allow
them to go to mosque. They passed a religious freedom roadmap
to address recommendations that the U.S. special rapporteur
made. Now, it's a roadmap. So in effect, we would look at it as
a resolution. They haven't put it into law, but they've said
our next step is to put these into law.
Those are a series of the steps that they've made. In my
interactions with the government officials, we're continuing to
press them on any other religious prisoners.
Mr. Wicker. Mr. Ambassador, when do you think that law
might be voted on?
Amb. Brownback. I was hopeful this year, but I just heard
word this morning that it won't be until next year that they'll
actually implement it. But they're still on the Special Watch
List because they continue to have issues and problems. There
was a Baptist church that was recently raided. They had
previously stopped all the raids, but then this just happened.
I called the foreign minister up about that. I've been
personally engaged with the Uzbeks very aggressively, because
we want to showcase to other countries in Central Asia, there
is a way off this list. But you got to change. You got to
really do things. The Uzbeks have done a series of things, but
they continue to be on the watch list because of concerns that
we have that still remain in place. The resolution, the
roadmap, has not become law.
Mr. Wicker. Mr. Ambassador, before you get to the other two
countries I asked about, is it your sense that public opinion
in Uzbekistan is behind the president and the leadership in
moving toward more acceptance of religious freedom?
Amb. Brownback. Yes.
Mr. Wicker. And is this is a way for Uzbeks to have a
better economy, is that not correct, and a better life for
everyone?
Amb. Brownback. That's a big reason, I believe, why the
leadership is pursuing it. They want to show you can do this.
And our data says you do it, you will have less terrorism and
more economic growth. We believe it. They've been taking these
measures publicly. They've held press conferences here at the
National Press Club and in New York to showcase the new
Uzbekistan, and more opening to the West. I'm hopeful that this
is very successful, for them to show a different scene. That's
part of our effort to expand the draw of religious freedom.
Heretofore, we basically pushed countries. We put up name and
shame lists. We would say: You need to do this because of your
international obligations. We want to say as well to countries,
it's also good for you on less terrorism, and you're going to
have more economic growth.
Mr. Wicker. If you could, then, take a half a minute and
sort of summarize what's going on in Pakistan and Russia.
Amb. Brownback. Pakistan continues to enforce blasphemy
laws. This is an area that in our Potomac Declaration out of
the international ministerial that we did said these need to be
repealed around the world. Half of the people that are in
prison for blasphemy laws around the world are imprisoned in
Pakistan. They continue to not allow the Ahmadi Muslims to
practice their faith or even call themselves Muslims. There
continues to be a lot of violence taking place in Pakistan.
Now, a new government's been elected. They have indicated a
desire to change courses and to work more openly.
Recently, when there were a number of protests that were
taking place, a number of the protests were regarding somebody
that was released on the blasphemy charges. They arrested a
number of the leaders of the protest. It's a positive sign from
this new government. Still, you base these findings on what the
report that we put out this last year was. Pakistan we put on
this Special Watch List in the middle of the year. They
certainly meet the criteria of a Country of Particular Concern.
Mr. Wicker. And Russia.
Amb. Brownback. Russia's been trending in the wrong
direction. It has done a series of things--arbitrary arrests
and imprisonments, particularly of Jehovah's Witnesses, they
were banned, widespread suppression of religious expression and
practice. They have a 2016 law criminalizing illegal missionary
activities that's included 156 such cases reported by NGOs in
2017, starting with Salvation Army, Pentecostals, Jehovah's
Witness of course, Baptists, the administrative center of the
New Apostolic Church, the Presbyterian Church, the Lutheran
Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints,
Ukrainian Reformed Orthodox Church, and the Russian Orthodox
Church Abroad. Along with a series of Muslim groups, and then
they banned the readings of the Turkish Islamic theologian Said
Nursi under a distorted interpretation of its extremist laws.
They have 145 currently jailed prisoners for religious
beliefs, 106 of which are Muslims. They particularly as well go
after the Church of Scientology. And those are the reasons that
we've put them on the Special Watch List, along with other
areas as well we could talk about. Some of the things they're
doing in eastern Ukraine that prohibit religious expression in
that region, and these are by groups that are supported and
sponsored by Russia.
Mr. Wicker. Thank you.
Congressman Smith.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Ambassador, if I could, as you know, we all know, there
is a rising tide of anti-Semitism, particularly in the Middle
East but also in Europe and the United States. The most recent
FBI hate crime statistic shows that from 2016 to 2017 the
number of anti-Semitic hate crimes directed based on religious
belief of identity jumped by 37 percent. It is now 58 percent,
far eclipsing any acts here in the United States against
Muslims, or Christians, or anyone else. That is mirrored
throughout the OSCE space itself. And I'm wondering--you know,
we have been asking the president--and perhaps you could take
this back--repeatedly to put in place a special envoy.
I authored that amendment in 2004 that created the special
envoy. It seems to me that that point person, working in tandem
with you, would greatly--especially during this rising tide
that's occurring--to get that person in place. So I would
respectfully ask that you could raise that with the president.
I've raised it with Secretary Pompeo. He promised. They had
someone, and apparently there was a real problem with a health
issue. So hopefully as soon as possible that person could be
put in place.
Second, on the whole issue of the designated persons list
for particularly severe violations of religious freedom, which
we included in the Frank Wolf International Religious Freedom
Act, my hope would be that that list could be forthcoming,
because that would work in tandem, in my opinion, with the
Global Magnitsky Act. The more we put people on lists who
torture and abuse, the more we're going to get compliance. As
you mentioned so well, as soon as President Trump moved
economically against Erdogan, that was probably the linchpin
that caused Pastor Brunson to be freed. So that designated
persons list I think is extremely important.
On the training issue, going back to when Frank Wolf wrote
his original bill, and when I wrote the bill that we named in
his name, training has always been a problem. There are great
Foreign Service officers and deputy chiefs of mission and
ambassadors. But if they don't get the right training--and you
and your staff certainly know it inside and out, all the
nuances of religious freedom and/or the lack thereof--but it
seems to me that we need to do a better job on that training
component. And you might speak to what--and we put that in the
Wolf bill--we tried to ratchet up a better understanding.
Like you, I travel all over the world, and I have been
astonished by some foreign services and even ambassadors whose
perspective on religious freedom is, at best, naive, if not
prejudicial, while others are all-in, and they understand it,
and they are competent as the day is long. So we need, I think,
to raise that bar if we could.
And finally, on the issue of Turkey, I would hope there
would be an ongoing evaluation for the designation of Turkey as
a CPC country. As I said in my opening, their persistent
violations of religious freedom and their acts of persecution
have been longstanding, but they're fresh every time they
commit or recommit them, which is ongoing. It's pervasive. I've
been to Turkey many times. I've been to Ankara, Istanbul. I've
raised these issues. We raised it--Mr. Wicker and I--Senator
Wicker and I--when we were in Istanbul for the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly and got a lot of blank stares from some
of the parliamentarians for raising those issues. So there is a
problem. I think CPC directed toward Turkey for its
mistreatment of so many, including the Orthodox, would send a
powerful, powerful message. So with respect, I would ask that
that be considered as well.
Amb. Brownback. Thank you very much, Congressman Smith.
Let me first start by saying the Religious Freedom Act
turned 20 years this year, that you and Senator Nichols did, in
the Senate side, and a number of others. I was supporting of
it. I said yesterday, while things have not been going well
lately, I think the pump's fully primed. It's ready to go.
Things are moving now. You're going to see a lot of action.
You've seen a lot more action. You're going to see a lot of
action on religious freedom.
The special envoy, the secretary is committed to get an
anti-Semitism special envoy appointed. He had one. There were
issues. I've been cleared to say that we anticipate somebody
will be in that job right after the first of the year. So it is
not for a lack of effort. There just seriously had been health
issues that come up. In his place, I have been meeting with
Jewish outside groups. When I travel, I meet with Jewish
activists as well, raise these issues regularly. It was raised
at the ministerial. We had a sidebar on anti-Semitism. It has
been rising. You'd think, and the shadows of World War II and
what happened to the Jewish community and the Holocaust, that
people would say never again, and it would literally mean that.
And yet, you see it rising again. But hope to have that person
onboard relatively soon.
Thank you for your suggestion on the designated persons
list. I think that's a good thought of another tool. You've
seen this administration use Global Magnitsky in a number of
settings. It's an important tool that's a recent one that the
Congress has given the administration. It is used, and I think
used quite a bit, and will be used more.
We're doing more training. Our office--Dan Nadel, that's
the Foreign Service head of the office, is out regularly doing
training. We're getting more training sessions established. I
agree with you, it's something that needs to take place. We've
got this great Foreign Service system. They're generally used
to being trained in other fields, but not so used to being
trained in this field. But now with the administration's
putting this big push on religious freedom, more of these
training sessions are set up and you'll see more of this
happen. It is important, because like anything you need--people
need to know how to operate the equipment. We've got equipment
that the Congress has passed. There's the second bill, Frank
Wolf Act, that gave more tools here. We need to use that.
Turkey has been an area of real concern. I've been there. I
met with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew as well when I
was there. The concerns that he raises, that Brunson raises,
that other pastors have raised, that the situation has been--
it's one we continue to watch, and work, and actively work
throughout the agency. I can tell you, it's not for lack of
discussion of focus. They are a NATO ally. That creates other
pressures in other places. We were pleased that they finally
released Pastor Brunson. He shouldn't have been taken in the
first place. He shouldn't have been held for 2 years. But they
continue to be one that merits a lot of focus and does get a
lot of focus from this administration and from my office and
will continue to.
Mr. Wicker. Ambassador, just let me tie up one little loose
end on Uzbekistan. OSCE has the Parliamentary Assembly, which
those of us at this table are part of. There's also the Office
of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, commonly known as
ODIHR. They're available to help countries that want to move in
the right direction in areas such as human rights and areas
such as religious freedom. But the country has to ask for it.
So I wrote a letter to Uzbekistan asking them to request the
assistance of ODIHR. I sent the letter to the Foreign Minister
Kamilov urging the government formally to request an ODIHR
legal review. I've not received a response. Do you have any
knowledge about that? Is this something that's come to your
attention? And do you have--do you know if, in fact, Uzbekistan
has availed themselves of this tool?
Amb. Brownback. Mr. Chairman, I don't know. I'll have----
Mr. Wicker. Okay, I'm spreading that on the record today
and saying it publicly to anyone within the sound of our
voices, that I think this would be a very positive step for a
country that is absolutely legitimately intent on moving in the
right direction. And so I'll let you have the last word in this
hearing, but let's celebrate the progress that we're making in
this one section of the globe, Uzbekistan. I don't want this
hearing to be seen as coming down hard on Uzbekistan. We are
holding this hearing to try and improve the situation, but also
to celebrate the fact that we are better off today than we were
a year ago in Uzbekistan. This is a country that wants to move
in the right direction, that has so many opportunities. We are
publicly commending the progress that they are making.
I'll let you have the last word, Mr. Ambassador.
Amb. Brownback. Mr. Chairman, I think it's well said. We
should celebrate this. I mean, this has been a real effort by
this country. They've taken specific, tangible acts, and not
just in religious freedom. They've done it in child labor.
They've done it in the cotton harvest recently. They've had
human rights progress. Now, you could say, Okay, well, there's
still issues to deal with. Yes, but they have made specific and
tangible progress. They're committed to do it. And the
president is committed to do it. I had a lengthy meeting with
him. I've had lengthy meetings with the foreign minister. These
things don't happen overnight. This is a country that was under
Soviet rule for many years, and an authoritarian regime.
Certainly Karimov's regime ahead of Mirziyoyev was an
authoritarian regime. So they're making a real change, and we
should celebrate that. We're going to continue to work with
them.
One other thing that we offered them to work with is that
the president's--and we're going to work with him--picking 15
young leaders in that country, particularly in the government,
to come here--and we're going to pay for this--in training and
relationship-building with people about how to run a government
that pushes human rights, religious freedom. That's been
offered, and they've accepted. I hope to do with Uzbekistan the
same thing with other countries in Central Asia, as a way of
moving forward. So we hope to work with them closely. I've
offered the Tajiks the same thing. Work with us. We'll get the
U.N. special rapporteur to do a report so you're not seeing it
as just from the United States. It's a U.N. report. We'll
review it and see if that's something that we can back. And
then let's get you on a track out of CPC designation. Because
we want to see countries progress on this, not just stay in the
CPC's designation.
Mr. Wicker. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Ambassador. We
stand ready to be your teammate and your partner in this
regard. Please convey our appreciation to the secretary of
state and to the president of the United States for elevating
this as an important issue, and for putting someone of your
stature and renown to be part of the United States message in
this regard. Thank you for your effort. I'm looking forward to
a very productive and positive 2019. As I pass this gavel to
one of my colleagues in the House of Representatives, please
know that the Senate will stay involved on a bipartisan basis.
We want to be there for you and to provide the resource
support, as well as the public opinion support that we can
have.
And with that, we will close this hearing with the thanks
of the commission. Thank you, sir.
[Whereupon, at 11:47 a.m., the hearing ended.]
This is an official publication of the
Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.
< < <
This publication is intended to document
developments and trends in participating
States of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
< < <
All Commission publications may be freely
reproduced, in any form, with appropriate
credit. The Commission encourages
the widest possible dissemination
of its publications.
< < <
http://www.csce.gov @HelsinkiComm
The Commission's Web site provides
access to the latest press releases
and reports, as well as hearings and
briefings. Using the Commission's electronic
subscription service, readers are able
to receive press releases, articles,
and other materials by topic or countries
of particular interest.
Please subscribe today.