[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 249 (Thursday, December 29, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Page 80247]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28311]
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
[Public Notice 11943]
Secretary of State's Determinations Under The International
Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and Frank R. Wolf International Religious
Freedom Act of 2016
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 November 30, 2022, 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, Cuba, Eritrea,
Iran, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Pakistan,
Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The Secretary
simultaneously designated the following as satisfying the requirement
to take Presidential Action 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 Cuba, the existing ongoing restrictions referenced in 31 CFR
515.201 and the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD)
Act of 1996 (Helms-Burton Act), 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 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 Nicaragua, the existing ongoing restrictions referenced in
section 5 of the Nicaragua Investment Conditionality Act of 2018
(the NICA Act)
For Pakistan, a waiver as required in the ``important national
interest of the United States,'' pursuant to section 407 of the Act;
For Russia, the existing ongoing sanctions issued for
individuals identified pursuant to section 404(a)(2) of the Russia
and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal and Sergei Magnitsky Rule of Law
Accountability Act of 2012 and section 11 of the Support for the
Sovereignty, Integrity, Democracy, and Economic Stability of Ukraine
Act of 2014, as amended by Section 228 of the Countering America's
Adversaries Through Sanctions Act, pursuant to section 402(c)(5) 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: Algeria, the Central
African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam.
Pursuant to Section 408(a) of the International Religious Freedom
Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-292), notice is hereby given that, on November
30, 2022, 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-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS-Sahel
(formerly known as ISIS in the Greater Sahara), ISIS-West Africa,
Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, the Taliban, and Wagner Group based
on its actions in the Central African Republic.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carter Allen, Office of International
Religious Freedom, U.S. Department of State, (Phone: (202) 718-1792 or
Email: [email protected]).
Carson Relitz Rocker,
Acting Director, Office of International Religious Freedom, Department
of State.
[FR Doc. 2022-28311 Filed 12-28-22; 8:45 am]
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