|
2008 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom Oct.7 (DP.net).- US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, introduced to the public on September 19, this Annual Report covering the 12 months ended on 20 June 2008. This report has been issued annually for 10 years since the US Congress approved the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) of 1998. The report is now available to the public on the Internet >>HERE and institutions may get free hard copies if requested. This work supplements the most recent Human Rights Reports by providing additional detailed information with respect to matters involving international religious freedom. It includes individual country chapters on the status of religious freedom worldwide. According to the Report, the IRF Act requires «the designation of countries that have "engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom" during the reporting period». Following its precise guidelines, the Report has designated Burma, China, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan as "Countries of Particular Concern". In addition, "countries where religious freedom is of significant concern" include Afghanistan, Algeria, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Malaysia, Pakistan, Russia, Sri Lanka, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Vietnam. >> Read more |