[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 247 (Thursday, December 26, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 71064-71065]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27787]


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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice 10987]


Secretary of State's Determination Under the International 
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and Frank R. Wolf International Religious 
Freedom Act of 2016

    The Secretary of State's designation of ``countries of particular 
concern'' and ``special watch list'' countries for religious freedom 
violations pursuant to Section 408(a) of the International Religious 
Freedom Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-292), as amended (the Act), notice is 
hereby given that, on December 18, 2019, the Secretary of State, under 
authority delegated by the President, has designated each of the 
following as a ``country of particular concern'' (CPC) under section 
402(b) of the Act, for having engaged in or tolerated particularly 
severe violations of religious freedom: Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, 
the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, 
Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The Secretary simultaneously designated 
the following Presidential Actions for these CPCs:

    For Burma, the existing ongoing restrictions referenced in 22 
CFR 126.1, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
    For China, the existing ongoing restriction on exports to China 
of crime control or detection instruments or equipment, under the 
Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 
(Pub. L. 101-246), pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
    For Eritrea, the existing ongoing restrictions referenced in 22 
CFR 126.1, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
    For Iran, the existing ongoing travel restrictions in section 
221(c) of the Iran Threat Reduction and Syria Human Rights Act of 
2012 (TRA) for individuals identified under section 221(a)(1)(C) of 
the TRA in connection with the commission of serious human rights 
abuses, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) of the Act;
    For the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the existing 
ongoing restrictions to which the Democratic People's Republic of 
Korea is subject, pursuant to sections 402 and 409 of the Trade Act 
of 1974 (the Jackson-Vanik Amendment), and pursuant to section 
402(c)(5) of the Act;
    For Pakistan, a waiver as required in the ``important national 
interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of the Act;
    For Saudi Arabia, a waiver as required in the ``important 
national interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of 
the Act;
    For Tajikistan, a waiver as required in the ``important national 
interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of the Act; 
and
    For Turkmenistan, a waiver as required in the ``important 
national interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of 
the Act.

    In addition, the Secretary of State has designated the following 
countries as ``special watch list'' countries for engaging in or 
tolerating severe violations of religious freedom: Comoros, Cuba, 
Nicaragua, Nigeria, Russia, Sudan, and Uzbekistan.
    The Secretary of State's designation of ``entities of particular 
concern'' for religious freedom violations. Pursuant to Section 408(a) 
of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (Pub. L.

[[Page 71065]]

105-292), notice is hereby given that, on December 18, 2019, the 
Secretary of State, under authority delegated by the President, has 
designated each of the following as an ``entity of particular concern'' 
under section 301 of the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom 
Act of 2016 (Pub. L. 114-281), for having engaged in particularly 
severe violations of religious freedom: al-Nusra Front, al-Qa'ida in 
the Arabian Peninsula, al-Qa'ida, al-Shabab, Boko Haram, the Houthis, 
ISIS, ISIS-Khorasan, and the Taliban.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Howard Chyung, Office of International 
Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State, (Phone: (202) 647-3865 or 
Email: [email protected]).

Daniel L. Nadel,
Director, Office of International Religious Freedom, Department of 
State.
[FR Doc. 2019-27787 Filed 12-23-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4710-18-P